Lafayette County, Florida Hurricane History

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

Since 1867, 70 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lafayette County, Florida — about one every 2.3 years. Of those, 11 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 31 miles away on 27 September 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.3

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 4 · 1Cat 3 · 2Cat 2 · 3Cat 1 · 5TS / TD · 59

The 70 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 4.

Key facts

Most recentHelene (2024) — 31 mi away, 27 September 2024
Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 120 kt (138 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordJeanne (2004) — 2.1 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Idalia (2023) — 19.2 miles
Passes within 25 miles32 of 70
Peak monthSeptember — 22 storms (31% of all)
Most active year1871 — 4 storms
Most active decade1880s — 8 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi3
Record span1867–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Lafayette County, Florida, September is the most active month, with 22 of the 70 recorded storms (31%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 71% of all activity. The 1880s was the most active decade on record, with 8 storms. 3 of the 70 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	5	14	22	14	2	0

Activity by decade

19002000

Tropical cyclones passing within 50 miles, by decade, 1860s to 2020s. Decades with no storms are shown as empty columns. Comparing two equal 38-year windows inside the aircraft-reconnaissance era: 14 storms in 1950–1987 against 22 in 1988–2025.

1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
2	6	8	2	3	0	4	6	3	3	3	5	3	4	6	5	7

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Helene (2024)	27 Sep 2024	31.2 mi	Cat 4	120 kt
Debby (2024)	5 Aug 2024	7.5 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	19.2 mi	Cat 3	100 kt
Nicole (2022)	10 Nov 2022	30.6 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	48.6 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Elsa (2021)	7 Jul 2021	16.8 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Eta (2020)	12 Nov 2020	45.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Irma (2017)	11 Sep 2017	13.0 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	3.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Andrea (2013)	7 Jun 2013	16.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Debby (2012)	26 Jun 2012	46.2 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Beryl (2012)	28 May 2012	36.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Fay (2008)	22 Aug 2008	14.5 mi	TS / TD	41 kt
Alberto (2006)	13 Jun 2006	26.3 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	2.1 mi	TS / TD	41 kt
Frances (2004)	6 Sep 2004	45.2 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	40.7 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	16.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Georges (1998)	30 Sep 1998	36.4 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Josephine (1996)	8 Oct 1996	32.1 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Jerry (1995)	25 Aug 1995	5.3 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Marco (1990)	12 Oct 1990	9.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	16 Aug 1987	46.6 mi	TS / TD	15 kt
Charley (1986)	13 Aug 1986	49.7 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Unnamed Storm (1980)	18 Jul 1980	40.8 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	23 May 1976	17.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1973)	26 Sep 1973	35.5 mi	TD	—
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	21.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	16 Aug 1971	44.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	30.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	6.7 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Dora (1964)	10 Sep 1964	4.3 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	2.4 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	48.1 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	4.3 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
King (1950)	19 Oct 1950	35.8 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	27 Aug 1949	19.2 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	8 Oct 1947	36.2 mi	TS / TD	24 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	21 Oct 1941	37.8 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	21 Sep 1937	4.0 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	31 Aug 1937	17.1 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	22 Aug 1936	6.3 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	11.5 mi	Cat 1	73 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	5 Sep 1933	12.0 mi	TS / TD	51 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	16.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	9 Aug 1928	49.6 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	29 Jul 1926	49.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	29 Sep 1924	37.6 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	43.3 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	30 Jun 1909	33.7 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	24.5 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1900)	12 Oct 1900	24.8 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	29 Sep 1896	31.7 mi	Cat 3	100 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	15.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	11 Oct 1888	45.1 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	16.9 mi	TS / TD	46 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	21 Jun 1886	49.7 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	10.7 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	30 Sep 1885	14.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	35.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	10.9 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	8.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	26 Oct 1877	47.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	45.1 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	5 Oct 1871	29.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Sep 1871	47.4 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	26 Aug 1871	28.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	18 Aug 1871	44.3 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	45.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1867)	6 Oct 1867	26.9 mi	TS / TD	58 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 1 system 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
Unnamed Storm (1947)	Post-tropical	24 Sep 1947	45.9 mi	48 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1867–2025. 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 Lafayette County, Florida more than once.

Debby — 2 passes (2012, 2024)

How Lafayette County, Florida compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Lafayette County, Florida ranks #35 — more exposed than 98.4% of them. Within Florida it ranks #10 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 4 Helene (2024) passed 31 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Idalia (2023) passed 19 miles away on 30 August 2023 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 32 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1888) passed 45 miles away on 11 October 1888 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.

63 of the 70 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 70 storms spread over the 159 years from 1867 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 15 years, between 1909 and 1924. It has been 1 year since the last one; 38 of the 55 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Lafayette County, Florida?

11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lafayette County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1867. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 70.

When was the last hurricane in Lafayette County, Florida?

Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 31 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 Lafayette County, Florida?

Helene (2024), which reached 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 31 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Lafayette County, Florida?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.3 years — 70 storms over the 159 years from 1867 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Lafayette County, Florida borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Madison County, Florida has 67 on record.

Madison County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi Suwannee County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi Gilchrist County, Florida64 storms within 50 mi Taylor County, Florida63 storms within 50 mi Dixie County, Florida63 storms within 50 mi