Lee County, Florida Hurricane History

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

Since 1859, 59 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lee County, Florida — about one every 2.8 years. Of those, 17 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ian (2022), which passed 15 miles away on 28 September 2022.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.8

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 5 · 2Cat 4 · 1Cat 3 · 6Cat 2 · 4Cat 1 · 4TS / TD · 42

The 59 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 2 of them reached Cat 5.

Key facts

Most recentIan (2022) — 15 mi away, 28 September 2022
Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1935) — 140 kt (161 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1888) — 2.7 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1910) — 4.5 miles
Passes within 25 miles29 of 59
Peak monthSeptember — 17 storms (29% of all)
Most active year1878 — 2 storms
Most active decade1900s — 7 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi9
Record span1859–2022

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Lee County, Florida, September is the most active month, with 17 of the 59 recorded storms (29%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 75% of all activity. The 1900s was the most active decade on record, with 7 storms. 9 of the 59 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	7	11	17	16	3	1

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 12 in 1988–2025.

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

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Ian (2022)	28 Sep 2022	14.8 mi	Cat 4	128 kt
Sally (2020)	12 Sep 2020	49.1 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Gordon (2018)	3 Sep 2018	41.7 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Irma (2017)	10 Sep 2017	17.6 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Bonnie (2010)	23 Jul 2010	30.6 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Fay (2008)	19 Aug 2008	37.9 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Wilma (2005)	24 Oct 2005	49.1 mi	Cat 3	105 kt
Charley (2004)	13 Aug 2004	13.6 mi	Cat 4	130 kt
Harvey (1999)	21 Sep 1999	44.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Mitch (1998)	5 Nov 1998	25.6 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Gordon (1994)	16 Nov 1994	6.8 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Marco (1990)	11 Oct 1990	38.1 mi	TS / TD	54 kt
Bob (1985)	23 Jul 1985	12.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Dennis (1981)	18 Aug 1981	48.7 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	30 Aug 1971	38.9 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	13 Aug 1971	24.8 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Jenny (1969)	2 Oct 1969	21.6 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Brenda (1968)	18 Jun 1968	42.3 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Abby (1968)	4 Jun 1968	21.7 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	1 Jul 1966	46.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Donna (1960)	10 Sep 1960	10.5 mi	Cat 3	98 kt
Judith (1959)	18 Oct 1959	16.8 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Hazel (1953)	9 Oct 1953	11.8 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
How (1951)	2 Oct 1951	12.9 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	18 Sep 1947	11.3 mi	Cat 2	87 kt
Unnamed Storm (1945)	16 Sep 1945	29.8 mi	Cat 2	83 kt
Unnamed Storm (1945)	5 Sep 1945	8.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1944)	19 Oct 1944	39.4 mi	Cat 2	92 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	6 Oct 1941	9.4 mi	TS / TD	62 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	29 Jul 1936	32.6 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	15 Jun 1936	42.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	3 Sep 1935	17.5 mi	Cat 4	130 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	31 Jul 1933	30.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	30 Aug 1932	32.6 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	13 Aug 1928	31.5 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	18 Sep 1926	6.0 mi	Cat 2	95 kt
Unnamed Storm (1925)	1 Dec 1925	18.9 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1921)	15 Oct 1921	12.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	14 May 1916	34.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1910)	18 Oct 1910	4.5 mi	Cat 2	95 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	25 Sep 1909	38.1 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	30 Aug 1909	47.0 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	19 Sep 1907	34.7 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1906)	22 Oct 1906	10.2 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Unnamed Storm (1904)	18 Oct 1904	12.8 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1903)	12 Sep 1903	36.5 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	11 Aug 1901	20.9 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1899)	31 Jul 1899	26.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1897)	21 Sep 1897	21.7 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	9 Oct 1896	11.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	25 Sep 1894	4.5 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1891)	25 Aug 1891	46.0 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	17 Aug 1888	2.7 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	8 Sep 1878	19.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	2 Jul 1878	40.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	7 Oct 1873	14.0 mi	Cat 3	100 kt
Unnamed Storm (1870)	20 Oct 1870	34.8 mi	Cat 1	78 kt
Unnamed Storm (1861)	1 Nov 1861	28.7 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1859)	18 Oct 1859	40.4 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
Alex (2022)	Disturbance	4 Jun 2022	20.6 mi	36 kt
Ana (1991)	Remnant low	30 Jun 1991	10.6 mi	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1891)	Post-tropical	9 Oct 1891	5.4 mi	32 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1859–2025. 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 Lee County, Florida more than once.

Gordon — 2 passes (1994, 2018)

How Lee County, Florida compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Lee County, Florida ranks #119 — more exposed than 94.6% of them. Within Florida it ranks #52 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 5 Unnamed Storm (1935) passed 17 miles away on 3 September 1935 as a hurricane, reaching 140 kt (161 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 5 Ian (2022) passed 15 miles away on 28 September 2022 as a hurricane, reaching 138 kt (159 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 4 Charley (2004) passed 14 miles away on 13 August 2004 as a hurricane, reaching 130 kt (150 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Wilma (2005) passed 49 miles away on 24 October 2005 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.

52 of the 59 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 59 storms spread over the 167 years from 1859 to 2025. 6 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 10 years, between 1878 and 1888. It has been 3 years since the last one; 18 of the 52 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Lee County, Florida?

17 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lee County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1859. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 59.

When was the last hurricane in Lee County, Florida?

Ian (2022), on 28 September 2022, passing 15 miles away — 4 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Ian (2022) in 2022.

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

Unnamed Storm (1935), which reached 140 kt (161 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 17 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Lee County, Florida?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.8 years — 59 storms over the 167 years from 1859 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Lee County, Florida borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Collier County, Florida has 68 on record.

Collier County, Florida68 storms within 50 mi Glades County, Florida68 storms within 50 mi Hendry County, Florida66 storms within 50 mi Charlotte County, Florida51 storms within 50 mi