Hamilton County, Florida Hurricane History

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

Since 1852, 64 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Hamilton County, Florida — about one every 2.7 years. Of those, 8 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 39 miles away on 27 September 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.7

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.

How strong they get

Cat 3 · 3Cat 1 · 5TS / TD · 56

The 64 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 3 of them reached Cat 3.

Key facts

Most recentHelene (2024) — 39 mi away, 27 September 2024
Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 107 kt (123 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordBeryl (2012) — 2.3 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Idalia (2023) — 12.8 miles
Passes within 25 miles35 of 64
Peak monthSeptember — 22 storms (34% of all)
Most active year1885 — 4 storms
Most active decade1880s — 7 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi3
Record span1852–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Hamilton County, Florida, September is the most active month, with 22 of the 64 recorded storms (34%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 73% of all activity. The 1880s was the most active decade on record, with 7 storms. 3 of the 64 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	4	9	4	10	22	15	0	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: 12 storms in 1950–1987 against 21 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
1	1	5	7	2	3	1	3	5	3	4	4	3	1	5	6	5	5

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Helene (2024)	27 Sep 2024	38.7 mi	Cat 2	95 kt
Debby (2024)	5 Aug 2024	4.6 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	12.8 mi	Cat 2	87 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	22.0 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Elsa (2021)	7 Jul 2021	18.9 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Irma (2017)	11 Sep 2017	16.9 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	40.4 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	18.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Andrea (2013)	7 Jun 2013	29.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Beryl (2012)	28 May 2012	2.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Fay (2008)	22 Aug 2008	48.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alberto (2006)	13 Jun 2006	21.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Tammy (2005)	6 Oct 2005	49.4 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	31.2 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	20.5 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	19.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Georges (1998)	1 Oct 1998	2.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Josephine (1996)	8 Oct 1996	9.5 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Jerry (1995)	25 Aug 1995	16.3 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Allison (1995)	5 Jun 1995	48.5 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Marco (1990)	12 Oct 1990	6.0 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	16 Aug 1987	30.4 mi	TS / TD	11 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	23 May 1976	7.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	2.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	32.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	2.6 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	34.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Dora (1964)	10 Sep 1964	33.3 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	13.8 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	30.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	3.0 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
King (1950)	19 Oct 1950	3.6 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Easy (1950)	7 Sep 1950	31.7 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	28 Aug 1949	4.7 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	21.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1946)	8 Oct 1946	46.9 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	21 Sep 1937	30.3 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	22 Aug 1936	43.9 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	15.5 mi	Cat 1	68 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	5 Sep 1933	30.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	7.9 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	29 Jul 1926	15.2 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	29 Sep 1924	25.5 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	22.8 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	39.1 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	32.9 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	25.5 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1900)	12 Oct 1900	47.6 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	29 Sep 1896	36.9 mi	Cat 2	95 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	12.0 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	15.1 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	9.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	30 Sep 1885	20.6 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	11.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	27.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	17.8 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	20.1 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	27.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	38.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	30.1 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	5 Oct 1871	19.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	18 Aug 1871	39.4 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	17.6 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	45.8 mi	Cat 1	73 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 2 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
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	31.9 mi	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	Post-tropical	24 Sep 1947	43.8 mi	47 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1852–2025. 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

1 named storm in this record passed Hamilton County, Florida more than once.

Alma — 2 passes (1966, 1970)

How Hamilton County, Florida compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Hamilton County, Florida ranks #76 — more exposed than 96.6% of them. Within Florida it ranks #31 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 3 Helene (2024) passed 39 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Idalia (2023) passed 13 miles away on 30 August 2023 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 37 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 97 kt (112 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1852) passed 46 miles away on 10 October 1852 as a hurricane, reaching 76 kt (87 mph) while within 50 miles.

60 of the 64 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 64 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 10 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 16 years, between 1852 and 1868. It has been 1 year since the last one; 38 of the 50 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Hamilton County, Florida?

8 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Hamilton County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 64.

When was the last hurricane in Hamilton County, Florida?

Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 39 miles away — 2 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Helene (2024) in 2024.

What was the strongest storm to affect Hamilton County, Florida?

Helene (2024), which reached 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 39 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Hamilton County, Florida?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.7 years — 64 storms over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Hamilton County, Florida borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Lowndes County, Georgia has 70 on record.

Lowndes County, Georgia70 storms within 50 mi Brooks County, Georgia69 storms within 50 mi Madison County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi Suwannee County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi