Tuscaloosa County, Alabama Tropical Cyclone History

No active tropical cyclones are within 500 miles of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama as of Thursday, 10 September 2026. Official forecasts at nhc.noaa.gov.

Since 1855, 30 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama — about one every 5.7 years. Of those, 2 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Claudette (2021), which passed 43 miles away on 20 June 2021.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

5.7

Avg. years between

Years since the last

Storm tracks within 50 miles

TS / TDCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5

Each line is one storm track, coloured by the strongest category it reached while within 50 miles. The dashed ring marks that 50-mile radius; hairlines are one-degree graticule. Source: NOAA NHC HURDAT2.

Key facts

Most recentClaudette (2021) — 43 mi away, 20 June 2021
Strongest stormZeta (2020) — 60 kt (69 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordBill (2003) — 3.3 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
Passes within 25 miles11 of 30
Peak monthSeptember — 8 storms (27% of all)
Most active year1916 — 2 storms
Most active decade2000s — 6 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
Record span1855–2021

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, September is the most active month, with 8 of the 30 recorded storms (27%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 67% of all activity. The 2000s was the most active decade on record, with 6 storms. 0 of the 30 storms were major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) while within 50 miles.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
0	0	0	0	1	3	5	7	8	5	1	0

Activity by decade

19002000

Tropical cyclones passing within 50 miles, by decade, 1850s to 2020s. Decades with no storms are shown as empty columns. Comparing two equal 38-year windows inside the aircraft-reconnaissance era: 7 storms in 1950–1987 against 13 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
1	1	1	1	2	0	2	1	1	0	2	1	3	1	3	6	2	2

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Claudette (2021)	20 Jun 2021	43.1 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Zeta (2020)	29 Oct 2020	33.9 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Alberto (2018)	29 May 2018	25.6 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Nate (2017)	8 Oct 2017	9.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Fay (2008)	26 Aug 2008	16.7 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Arlene (2005)	12 Jun 2005	19.4 mi	TS / TD	24 kt
Ivan (2004)	16 Sep 2004	34.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Bill (2003)	1 Jul 2003	3.3 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Isidore (2002)	27 Sep 2002	45.3 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Barry (2001)	6 Aug 2001	37.2 mi	TS / TD	18 kt
Danny (1997)	22 Jul 1997	36.1 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Alberto (1994)	7 Jul 1994	36.3 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Andrew (1992)	27 Aug 1992	43.7 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Juan (1985)	1 Nov 1985	44.9 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Frederic (1979)	13 Sep 1979	41.7 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Babe (1977)	7 Sep 1977	12.7 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Edith (1971)	17 Sep 1971	14.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1969)	2 Oct 1969	37.5 mi	TS / TD	24 kt
Arlene (1959)	1 Jun 1959	35.9 mi	TS / TD	21 kt
Baker (1950)	31 Aug 1950	39.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1939)	16 Aug 1939	13.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	30 Jul 1926	29.6 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	18 Oct 1916	11.3 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	8 Jul 1916	11.3 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1895)	17 Aug 1895	28.6 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1892)	13 Sep 1892	13.9 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	29 Aug 1881	7.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1879)	16 Oct 1879	34.1 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	16 Sep 1860	34.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1855)	17 Sep 1855	49.2 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	25 Sep 2020	21.9 mi	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	Post-tropical	16 Oct 1932	37.6 mi	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1905)	Post-tropical	10 Oct 1905	49.3 mi	25 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1855–2025. Tracks are recorded every six hours and are interpolated to one-hour steps before distances are measured, so closest-approach figures are not distorted by the sampling interval. Distances are measured to the county's Census internal point, not to its nearest boundary, so a storm listed at 55 miles may still have crossed the coastline — see Methodology. Records before about 1900 are sparser and less precise than modern ones, and storms that stayed at sea were less likely to be recorded at all.

Storms that came back

2 named storms in this record passed Tuscaloosa County, Alabama more than once.

Alberto — 2 passes (1994, 2018)
Arlene — 2 passes (1959, 2005)

How Tuscaloosa County, Alabama compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama ranks #515 — more exposed than 76.7% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #40 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.

Notable storms

TS / TD Zeta (2020) passed 34 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
TS / TD Frederic (1979) passed 42 miles away on 13 September 1979 as a hurricane, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 11 miles away on 18 October 1916 as a hurricane, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
TS / TD Ivan (2004) passed 34 miles away on 16 September 2004 as a tropical storm, reaching 46 kt (53 mph) while within 50 miles.

27 of the 30 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 5.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 30 storms spread over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025. 1 separate year saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 21 years, between 1895 and 1916. It has been 4 years since the last one; 13 of the 28 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?

2 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama at hurricane strength since 1855. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 30.

When was the last hurricane in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?

Frederic (1979), on 13 September 1979, passing 42 miles away — 47 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Claudette (2021) in 2021.

What was the strongest storm to affect Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?

Zeta (2020), which reached 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 34 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 5.7 years — 30 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

Tuscaloosa County, Alabama borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Hale County, Alabama has 37 on record.

Hale County, Alabama37 storms within 50 mi Greene County, Alabama33 storms within 50 mi Bibb County, Alabama33 storms within 50 mi Pickens County, Alabama32 storms within 50 mi Jefferson County, Alabama25 storms within 50 mi Walker County, Alabama24 storms within 50 mi Fayette County, Alabama22 storms within 50 mi