Taylor County, Florida Hurricane History
Since 1852, 63 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Taylor County, Florida — about one every 2.8 years. Of those, 13 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 4 miles away on 27 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHelene (2024) — 4 mi away, 27 September 2024
- Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 120 kt (138 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1976) — 2.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Helene (2024) — 4.3 miles
- Passes within 25 miles35 of 63
- Peak monthSeptember — 20 storms (32% of all)
- Most active year1885 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1880s — 8 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi2
- Record span1852–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helene (2024) | 27 Sep 2024 | 4.3 mi | Cat 4 | 120 kt |
| Debby (2024) | 5 Aug 2024 | 15.1 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Idalia (2023) | 30 Aug 2023 | 5.2 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Nicole (2022) | 10 Nov 2022 | 10.1 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Mindy (2021) | 9 Sep 2021 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 7 Jul 2021 | 10.3 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Irma (2017) | 11 Sep 2017 | 37.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Hermine (2016) | 2 Sep 2016 | 29.0 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Colin (2016) | 7 Jun 2016 | 11.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | 6 Jun 2013 | 34.3 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 22 Aug 2008 | 17.4 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Alberto (2006) | 13 Jun 2006 | 5.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 27 Sep 2004 | 22.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Frances (2004) | 6 Sep 2004 | 18.6 mi | TS / TD | 51 kt |
| Bonnie (2004) | 12 Aug 2004 | 26.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | 18 Sep 2000 | 40.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 30 Sep 1998 | 40.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Josephine (1996) | 8 Oct 1996 | 15.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Jerry (1995) | 25 Aug 1995 | 21.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Allison (1995) | 5 Jun 1995 | 34.4 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Marco (1990) | 12 Oct 1990 | 35.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 16 Aug 1987 | 26.9 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Charley (1986) | 13 Aug 1986 | 23.4 mi | TS / TD | 10 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1980) | 18 Jul 1980 | 39.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 23 May 1976 | 2.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Alpha (1972) | 28 May 1972 | 4.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 16 Aug 1971 | 18.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1966) | 2 Jul 1966 | 34.3 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Alma (1966) | 9 Jun 1966 | 33.6 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Dora (1964) | 11 Sep 1964 | 10.9 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 29 Jul 1960 | 20.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1957) | 9 Jun 1957 | 30.2 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Love (1950) | 21 Oct 1950 | 20.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 27 Aug 1949 | 46.2 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 8 Oct 1947 | 9.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 21 Sep 1937 | 3.6 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 31 Aug 1937 | 4.3 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 22 Aug 1936 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 5 Sep 1935 | 15.1 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 5 Sep 1933 | 14.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 15 Sep 1932 | 9.5 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 10 Aug 1928 | 28.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 29 Sep 1924 | 21.7 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 16 Sep 1924 | 32.1 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 30 Jun 1909 | 13.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 15 Jun 1902 | 3.3 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 12 Oct 1900 | 38.2 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 15 Jun 1893 | 5.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 9 Sep 1888 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 21 Jun 1886 | 23.4 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 11 Oct 1885 | 37.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 30 Sep 1885 | 19.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 21 Sep 1885 | 30.4 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 11 Oct 1882 | 34.3 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 8 Sep 1880 | 11.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 31 Aug 1880 | 48.0 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 11 Oct 1878 | 44.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1873) | 19 Sep 1873 | 29.0 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 5 Oct 1871 | 11.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 26 Aug 1871 | 10.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1868) | 4 Oct 1868 | 36.4 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1867) | 6 Oct 1867 | 27.8 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 9 Oct 1852 | 34.4 mi | Cat 2 | 83 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
No system on record passed within 50 miles of Taylor County, Florida after losing tropical characteristics, so every storm listed above was still a tropical or subtropical cyclone at its closest approach.
How Taylor County, Florida compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Taylor County, Florida ranks #94 — more exposed than 95.7% of them. Within Florida it ranks #41 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 4 Helene (2024) passed 4 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Idalia (2023) passed 5 miles away on 30 August 2023 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1852) passed 34 miles away on 9 October 1852 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1935) passed 15 miles away on 5 September 1935 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
58 of the 63 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 63 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 11 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 1852 and 1867. It has been 1 year since the last one; 36 of the 49 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Taylor County, Florida?
13 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Taylor County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 63.
When was the last hurricane in Taylor County, Florida?
Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 4 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 Taylor County, Florida?
Helene (2024), which reached 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 4 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Taylor County, Florida?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.8 years — 63 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
Taylor County, Florida borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Lafayette County, Florida has 70 on record.