Leon County, Florida Hurricane History

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

Since 1851, 62 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Leon County, Florida — about one every 2.8 years. Of those, 15 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 41 miles away on 27 September 2024.

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 4 · 1Cat 3 · 1Cat 2 · 5Cat 1 · 7TS / TD · 48

The 62 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 4.

Key facts

Most recentHelene (2024) — 41 mi away, 27 September 2024
Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 120 kt (138 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1871) — 3.1 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Helene (2024) — 40.6 miles
Passes within 25 miles34 of 62
Peak monthSeptember — 22 storms (35% of all)
Most active year1885 — 3 storms
Most active decade1870s — 7 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi2
Record span1851–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Leon County, Florida, September is the most active month, with 22 of the 62 recorded storms (35%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 77% of all activity. The 1870s was the most active decade on record, with 7 storms. 2 of the 62 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	2	9	1	14	22	12	2	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: 10 storms in 1950–1987 against 14 in 1988–2025.

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

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Helene (2024)	27 Sep 2024	40.6 mi	Cat 3	108 kt
Nicole (2022)	11 Nov 2022	4.7 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	11.6 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Michael (2018)	10 Oct 2018	48.2 mi	Cat 3	108 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	19.9 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Fay (2008)	23 Aug 2008	48.4 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Alberto (2006)	13 Jun 2006	47.5 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	40.4 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Frances (2004)	6 Sep 2004	6.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	24.4 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Georges (1998)	30 Sep 1998	10.8 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Earl (1998)	3 Sep 1998	35.0 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Josephine (1996)	8 Oct 1996	38.9 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Allison (1995)	5 Jun 1995	16.7 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	16 Aug 1987	24.3 mi	TS / TD	15 kt
Charley (1986)	13 Aug 1986	16.6 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	21.0 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	23 May 1976	48.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	45.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	16 Aug 1971	35.8 mi	TD	—
Alma (1966)	9 Jun 1966	16.7 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Dora (1964)	11 Sep 1964	7.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	24.7 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Flossy (1956)	25 Sep 1956	49.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	16 Oct 1947	46.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	16.1 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	7 Oct 1941	14.3 mi	Cat 1	68 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	21 Sep 1937	38.3 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	31 Aug 1937	19.2 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	22 Aug 1936	20.5 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	5 Sep 1933	46.4 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	38.9 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1929)	1 Oct 1929	30.4 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	14 Aug 1928	38.5 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	10 Aug 1928	9.3 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	29 Sep 1924	35.8 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	15.5 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	49.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	4 Aug 1911	47.5 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	30 Jun 1909	12.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	28 Sep 1907	27.7 mi	TS / TD	41 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	12.0 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	48.8 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	28 Sep 1901	16.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	14 Jun 1901	25.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1899)	1 Aug 1899	49.7 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	29.3 mi	Cat 1	82 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	8.3 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	21 Jun 1886	18.5 mi	Cat 1	78 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	29 Sep 1885	8.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	11.9 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	7.8 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	10 Oct 1878	7.2 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	3 Oct 1877	21.2 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	27.4 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1875)	27 Sep 1875	24.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	23.8 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	5 Oct 1871	38.3 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	26 Aug 1871	3.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	9.4 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	9 Oct 1852	16.7 mi	Cat 2	83 kt
Unnamed Storm (1851)	24 Aug 1851	47.3 mi	Cat 2	83 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
Fay (2020)	Remnant low	6 Jul 2020	48.8 mi	22 kt
Nestor (2019)	Post-tropical	19 Oct 2019	34.0 mi	37 kt
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	24.6 mi	45 kt

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

How Leon County, Florida compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Leon County, Florida ranks #97 — more exposed than 95.6% of them. Within Florida it ranks #42 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 4 Helene (2024) passed 41 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Michael (2018) passed 48 miles away on 10 October 2018 as a hurricane, reaching 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 29 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 91 kt (105 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1852) passed 17 miles away on 9 October 1852 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.

58 of the 62 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 62 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 12 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; 34 of the 47 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Leon County, Florida?

15 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Leon County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 62.

When was the last hurricane in Leon County, Florida?

Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 41 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 Leon County, Florida?

Helene (2024), which reached 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 41 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Leon County, Florida?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.8 years — 62 storms over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Leon County, Florida borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Thomas County, Georgia has 64 on record.

Thomas County, Georgia64 storms within 50 mi Jefferson County, Florida63 storms within 50 mi Wakulla County, Florida61 storms within 50 mi Grady County, Georgia58 storms within 50 mi Liberty County, Florida58 storms within 50 mi Gadsden County, Florida58 storms within 50 mi