Pickens County, Alabama Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1855, 32 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Pickens County, Alabama — about one every 5.3 years. Of those, 2 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Zeta (2020), which passed 49 miles away on 29 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentZeta (2020) — 49 mi away, 29 October 2020
- Strongest stormZeta (2020) — 60 kt (69 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1895) — 4.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles15 of 32
- Peak monthSeptember — 11 storms (34% of all)
- Most active year2005 — 3 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 8 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1855–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 48.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Nate (2017) | 8 Oct 2017 | 33.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Claudette (2009) | 17 Aug 2009 | 36.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 26 Aug 2008 | 8.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Katrina (2005) | 30 Aug 2005 | 43.6 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Dennis (2005) | 11 Jul 2005 | 32.1 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Arlene (2005) | 12 Jun 2005 | 20.8 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 22.6 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Isidore (2002) | 27 Sep 2002 | 25.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Barry (2001) | 6 Aug 2001 | 15.7 mi | TS / TD | 17 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 27 Aug 1992 | 27.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Frederic (1979) | 13 Sep 1979 | 10.6 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 7 Sep 1977 | 8.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Edith (1971) | 17 Sep 1971 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Ethel (1960) | 16 Sep 1960 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 1 Jun 1959 | 40.1 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Baker (1950) | 31 Aug 1950 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 15 Aug 1939 | 26.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 30 Jul 1926 | 25.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 5 Jul 1919 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 18 Oct 1916 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 8 Jul 1916 | 21.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 15 Sep 1912 | 23.4 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 16 Aug 1901 | 40.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1895) | 17 Aug 1895 | 4.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 9 Sep 1893 | 40.5 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 13 Sep 1892 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 29 Aug 1881 | 11.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 16 Oct 1879 | 21.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 2 Sep 1879 | 27.2 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 16 Sep 1860 | 21.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1855) | 17 Sep 1855 | 23.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 3 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (2020) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 2020 | 7.1 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1915 | 26.8 mi | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 1905 | 31.0 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Pickens County, Alabama more than once.
- Arlene — 2 passes (1959, 2005)
How Pickens County, Alabama compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Pickens County, Alabama ranks #474 — more exposed than 78.5% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #37 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Zeta (2020) passed 49 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Frederic (1979) passed 11 miles away on 13 September 1979 as a hurricane, reaching 58 kt (67 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 36 miles away on 18 October 1916 as a hurricane, reaching 51 kt (59 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Baker (1950) passed 9 miles away on 31 August 1950 as a tropical storm, reaching 46 kt (53 mph) while within 50 miles.
29 of the 32 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 5.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 32 storms spread over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025. 3 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 19 years, between 1860 and 1879. It has been 5 years since the last one; 13 of the 27 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Pickens County, Alabama?
2 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Pickens County, Alabama at hurricane strength since 1855. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 32.
When was the last hurricane in Pickens County, Alabama?
Frederic (1979), on 13 September 1979, passing 11 miles away — 47 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Zeta (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Pickens County, Alabama?
Zeta (2020), which reached 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 49 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Pickens County, Alabama?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 5.3 years — 32 storms over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Pickens County, Alabama borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Sumter County, Alabama has 38 on record.