Madison County, Florida Hurricane History

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

Since 1852, 67 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Madison County, Florida — about one every 2.6 years. Of those, 10 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 8 miles away on 27 September 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.6

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 · 2Cat 1 · 7TS / TD · 56

The 67 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 4.

Key facts

Most recentHelene (2024) — 8 mi away, 27 September 2024
Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 120 kt (138 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordJeanne (2004) — 2.0 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Helene (2024) — 8.4 miles
Passes within 25 miles37 of 67
Peak monthSeptember — 24 storms (36% of all)
Most active year1885 — 4 storms
Most active decade1880s — 9 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi2
Record span1852–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Madison County, Florida, September is the most active month, with 24 of the 67 recorded storms (36%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 72% of all activity. The 1880s was the most active decade on record, with 9 storms. 2 of the 67 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	3	10	5	13	24	11	1	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	6	9	1	4	1	3	6	2	3	4	3	2	5	6	4	6

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Helene (2024)	27 Sep 2024	8.4 mi	Cat 3	108 kt
Debby (2024)	5 Aug 2024	24.9 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	15.9 mi	Cat 2	93 kt
Nicole (2022)	11 Nov 2022	39.2 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	12.6 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Elsa (2021)	7 Jul 2021	11.0 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Irma (2017)	11 Sep 2017	14.2 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	22.3 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	32.6 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	19.1 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Fay (2008)	22 Aug 2008	48.4 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Alberto (2006)	13 Jun 2006	5.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	2.0 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Frances (2004)	6 Sep 2004	39.7 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	5.4 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	45.3 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Georges (1998)	30 Sep 1998	7.3 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Josephine (1996)	8 Oct 1996	22.1 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Jerry (1995)	25 Aug 1995	12.4 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Allison (1995)	5 Jun 1995	26.3 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Marco (1990)	12 Oct 1990	27.1 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	16 Aug 1987	12.0 mi	TS / TD	14 kt
Charley (1986)	13 Aug 1986	31.5 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	23 May 1976	18.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	14.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	16 Aug 1971	44.2 mi	TD	—
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	28.8 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	17.4 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Dora (1964)	11 Sep 1964	23.8 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	33.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	12.0 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	27.9 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
King (1950)	19 Oct 1950	28.2 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	28 Aug 1949	34.7 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	8 Oct 1947	12.1 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	21 Sep 1937	31.2 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	31 Aug 1937	38.1 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	22 Aug 1936	33.2 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	13.5 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	5 Sep 1933	2.2 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	19.9 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	29 Jul 1926	40.0 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	29 Sep 1924	14.1 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	8.5 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	47.5 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	30 Jun 1909	44.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	48.8 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	24.4 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	5.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	23.7 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	41.5 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	36.1 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	21 Jun 1886	29.6 mi	Cat 1	78 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	37.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	30 Sep 1885	15.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	12.7 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	23.4 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	42.3 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	32.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	22.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	39.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1875)	28 Sep 1875	49.5 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	15.7 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	5 Oct 1871	3.9 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	26 Aug 1871	38.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	10.6 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	23.7 mi	Cat 1	77 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
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	31.3 mi	45 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.

How Madison County, Florida compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Madison County, Florida ranks #54 — more exposed than 97.5% of them. Within Florida it ranks #17 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 4 Helene (2024) passed 8 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Idalia (2023) passed 16 miles away on 30 August 2023 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1886) passed 30 miles away on 21 June 1886 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1852) passed 24 miles away on 10 October 1852 as a hurricane, reaching 83 kt (96 mph) while within 50 miles.

63 of the 67 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.6 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 67 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 13 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; 37 of the 50 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Madison County, Florida?

10 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Madison County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 67.

When was the last hurricane in Madison County, Florida?

Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 8 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 Madison County, Florida?

Helene (2024), which reached 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 8 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Madison County, Florida?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.6 years — 67 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

Madison County, Florida borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Lowndes County, Georgia has 70 on record.

Lowndes County, Georgia70 storms within 50 mi Lafayette County, Florida70 storms within 50 mi Brooks County, Georgia69 storms within 50 mi Suwannee County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi Hamilton County, Florida64 storms within 50 mi Taylor County, Florida63 storms within 50 mi Jefferson County, Florida63 storms within 50 mi