Okaloosa County, Florida Hurricane History
Since 1860, 52 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Okaloosa County, Florida — about one every 3.2 years. Of those, 17 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Sally (2020), which passed 48 miles away on 16 September 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentSally (2020) — 48 mi away, 16 September 2020
- Strongest stormEloise (1975) — 110 kt (127 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1885) — 1.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1882) — 3.4 miles
- Passes within 25 miles30 of 52
- Peak monthSeptember — 19 storms (37% of all)
- Most active year1887 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s and 2000s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi6
- Record span1860–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 19 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sally (2020) | 16 Sep 2020 | 48.1 mi | Cat 1 | 64 kt |
| Alberto (2018) | 28 May 2018 | 31.7 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Claudette (2009) | 17 Aug 2009 | 7.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 23 Aug 2008 | 9.5 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Ten (2007) | 22 Sep 2007 | 16.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Dennis (2005) | 10 Jul 2005 | 33.7 mi | Cat 3 | 105 kt |
| Barry (2001) | 6 Aug 2001 | 11.4 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 22 Sep 2000 | 7.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 30 Sep 1998 | 9.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 20 Jul 1997 | 48.1 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Opal (1995) | 4 Oct 1995 | 21.5 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Erin (1995) | 3 Aug 1995 | 40.3 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Alberto (1994) | 3 Jul 1994 | 12.3 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 14 Aug 1987 | 1.1 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Eloise (1975) | 23 Sep 1975 | 23.5 mi | Cat 3 | 101 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1969) | 1 Oct 1969 | 12.5 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1969) | 21 Sep 1969 | 34.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | 15 Jun 1965 | 8.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Florence (1960) | 26 Sep 1960 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Debbie (1957) | 8 Sep 1957 | 35.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Flossy (1956) | 25 Sep 1956 | 18.7 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Florence (1953) | 26 Sep 1953 | 27.4 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Alice (1953) | 6 Jun 1953 | 43.3 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 9 Jul 1948 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 7 Oct 1947 | 41.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 13 Aug 1939 | 2.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 31 Aug 1937 | 37.8 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 22 Aug 1936 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 31 Jul 1936 | 9.3 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 6 Oct 1934 | 29.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 20 Sep 1926 | 37.5 mi | Cat 3 | 104 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 4 Jul 1919 | 28.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1917) | 29 Sep 1917 | 10.4 mi | Cat 2 | 94 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 18 Oct 1916 | 45.5 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 8.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 4 Aug 1911 | 44.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | 28 Jun 1907 | 40.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 3 Nov 1904 | 16.0 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 14 Sep 1903 | 46.2 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 10 Oct 1902 | 28.3 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 17 Sep 1901 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Aug 1898 | 20.6 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 7 Jul 1896 | 13.8 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 23 Sep 1889 | 23.3 mi | TS / TD | 54 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 19 Oct 1887 | 48.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 27 Jul 1887 | 6.3 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 28 Sep 1885 | 1.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 3.4 mi | Cat 3 | 102 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 31 Aug 1880 | 7.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 16 Oct 1879 | 8.0 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 19 Sep 1877 | 14.8 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 12 Aug 1860 | 48.5 mi | TS / TD | 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2009) | Post-tropical | 10 Nov 2009 | 1.1 mi | 27 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | Post-tropical | 5 Oct 1964 | 4.8 mi | 50 kt |
Storms that came back
2 named storms in this record passed Okaloosa County, Florida more than once.
- Alberto — 2 passes (1994, 2018)
- Florence — 2 passes (1953, 1960)
How Okaloosa County, Florida compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Okaloosa County, Florida ranks #176 — more exposed than 92.0% of them. Within Florida it ranks #66 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Eloise (1975) passed 24 miles away on 23 September 1975 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1882) passed 3 miles away on 10 September 1882 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Dennis (2005) passed 34 miles away on 10 July 2005 as a hurricane, reaching 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1926) passed 38 miles away on 20 September 1926 as a hurricane, reaching 106 kt (122 mph) while within 50 miles.
49 of the 52 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 52 storms spread over the 166 years from 1860 to 2025. 5 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 17 years, between 1860 and 1877. It has been 5 years since the last one; 9 of the 46 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Okaloosa County, Florida?
17 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Okaloosa County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1860. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 52.
When was the last hurricane in Okaloosa County, Florida?
Sally (2020), on 16 September 2020, passing 48 miles away — 6 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Sally (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Okaloosa County, Florida?
Eloise (1975), which reached 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 24 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Okaloosa County, Florida?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.2 years — 52 storms over the 166 years from 1860 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Okaloosa County, Florida borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Santa Rosa County, Florida has 56 on record.