Winston County, Alabama Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1879, 21 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Winston County, Alabama — about one every 7.0 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ida (2021), which passed 47 miles away on 31 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentIda (2021) — 47 mi away, 31 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1916) — 48 kt (55 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAlberto (2018) — 4.9 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles9 of 21
- Peak monthAugust and September — 6 storms (29% of all)
- Most active year1916 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1879–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2021) | 31 Aug 2021 | 46.6 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Alberto (2018) | 29 May 2018 | 4.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Nate (2017) | 8 Oct 2017 | 15.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 26 Aug 2008 | 18.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Arlene (2005) | 12 Jun 2005 | 31.0 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 43.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Isidore (2002) | 27 Sep 2002 | 12.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 27 Aug 1992 | 5.8 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 1 Nov 1985 | 40.4 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 17 Aug 1985 | 42.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Frederic (1979) | 13 Sep 1979 | 24.2 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 7 Sep 1977 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1969) | 2 Oct 1969 | 29.5 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Easy (1950) | 8 Sep 1950 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 11 Jul 1948 | 47.6 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 17 Aug 1939 | 33.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 19 Oct 1916 | 21.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 8 Jul 1916 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1895) | 17 Aug 1895 | 39.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 13 Sep 1892 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 2 Sep 1879 | 18.6 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta (2020) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 2020 | 43.9 mi | 21 kt |
| Beta (2020) | Post-tropical | 25 Sep 2020 | 27.7 mi | 18 kt |
| Irma (2017) | Remnant low | 12 Sep 2017 | 4.0 mi | 18 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1915 | 16.8 mi | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 1905 | 12.6 mi | 25 kt |
How Winston County, Alabama compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Winston County, Alabama ranks #743 — more exposed than 66.3% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #60 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed (October 1916) passed 21 miles away on 19 October 1916 as a tropical storm, reaching 48 kt (55 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Frederic (1979) passed 24 miles away on 13 September 1979 as a tropical storm, reaching 45 kt (52 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed (July 1916) passed 47 miles away on 8 July 1916 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1879) passed 19 miles away on 2 September 1879 as a tropical storm, reaching 36 kt (41 mph) while within 50 miles.
19 of the 21 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.0 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 21 storms spread over the 147 years from 1879 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 23 years, between 1916 and 1939. It has been 4 years since the last one; 10 of the 18 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Winston County, Alabama?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Winston County, Alabama while at hurricane strength. 21 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1879, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1916).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Winston County, Alabama?
Ida (2021), on 31 August 2021, passing 47 miles away — 5 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Winston County, Alabama at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Winston County, Alabama?
Unnamed Storm (1916), which reached 48 kt (55 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 21 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Winston County, Alabama?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.0 years — 21 storms over the 147 years from 1879 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Winston County, Alabama borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Walker County, Alabama has 24 on record.