Brantley County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1860, 74 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Brantley County, Georgia — about one every 2.2 years. Of those, 6 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Debby (2024), which passed 5 miles away on 6 August 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.2

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 2 · 1Cat 1 · 6TS / TD · 66

The 74 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 4.

Key facts

Most recentDebby (2024) — 5 mi away, 6 August 2024
Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1898) — 115 kt (132 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1898) — 3.2 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1898) — 3.2 miles
Passes within 25 miles37 of 74
Peak monthSeptember — 23 storms (31% of all)
Most active year1885 — 3 storms
Most active decade1910s — 9 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
Record span1860–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Brantley County, Georgia, September is the most active month, with 23 of the 74 recorded storms (31%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 70% of all activity. The 1910s was the most active decade on record, with 9 storms. 1 of the 74 storms was major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) while within 50 miles.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
0	0	0	0	5	10	5	12	23	17	2	0

Activity by decade

19002000

Tropical cyclones passing within 50 miles, by decade, 1860s to 2020s. Decades with no storms are shown as empty columns. Comparing two equal 38-year windows inside the aircraft-reconnaissance era: 16 storms in 1950–1987 against 19 in 1988–2025.

1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
2	7	7	3	2	9	2	2	5	3	5	5	4	2	6	5	5

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Debby (2024)	6 Aug 2024	4.5 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	37.0 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	10.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Elsa (2021)	8 Jul 2021	47.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Eta (2020)	12 Nov 2020	44.7 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Julia (2016)	14 Sep 2016	26.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	40.6 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	29.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Andrea (2013)	7 Jun 2013	13.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	47.8 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Barry (2007)	2 Jun 2007	28.1 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Alberto (2006)	14 Jun 2006	46.3 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Tammy (2005)	6 Oct 2005	24.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	15.9 mi	TS / TD	27 kt
Unnamed Storm (2003)	26 Jul 2003	45.0 mi	TS / TD	24 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	10.9 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Georges (1998)	1 Oct 1998	48.2 mi	TS / TD	21 kt
Gordon (1994)	21 Nov 1994	12.9 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1988)	14 Aug 1988	48.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	17 Aug 1987	44.5 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Isabel (1985)	11 Oct 1985	11.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Isidore (1984)	29 Sep 1984	48.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
David (1979)	4 Sep 1979	49.6 mi	Cat 1	81 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	14 Sep 1976	48.3 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	24 May 1976	13.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	19.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	4.5 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Abby (1968)	7 Jun 1968	14.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	45.8 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	29.4 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Cleo (1964)	29 Aug 1964	40.4 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	5.9 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	33.5 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	21.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Easy (1950)	7 Sep 1950	44.1 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	15 Oct 1947	35.4 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	21.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1946)	8 Oct 1946	8.4 mi	TS / TD	54 kt
Unnamed Storm (1945)	17 Sep 1945	48.3 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1944)	20 Oct 1944	34.5 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	6 Sep 1933	45.7 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	24.8 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	18 Sep 1928	49.8 mi	Cat 1	73 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	21.1 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	9.8 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	4 Oct 1916	18.8 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	16 May 1916	37.1 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1915)	2 Aug 1915	10.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	25.1 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	27.5 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	15 Jul 1912	8.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	5 Aug 1911	14.6 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1910)	19 Oct 1910	26.4 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	36.4 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	12.2 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1898)	2 Oct 1898	3.2 mi	Cat 2	86 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	29 Sep 1896	15.9 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	9.1 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	18.6 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	28.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	23.5 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	9.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	17.4 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	28 Aug 1881	48.1 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	24.7 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	10.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	4.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1874)	28 Sep 1874	39.8 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	27.8 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	2 Jun 1873	10.5 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Oct 1871	32.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	23 Aug 1871	6.1 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	5 Oct 1868	7.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	13 Aug 1860	45.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 5 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
Josephine (1996)	Post-tropical	8 Oct 1996	20.5 mi	45 kt
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	15.3 mi	45 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	46.9 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	Post-tropical	24 Sep 1947	11.8 mi	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1924	35.6 mi	55 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1860–2025. 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

2 named storms in this record passed Brantley County, Georgia more than once.

Alma — 2 passes (1966, 1970)
Gordon — 2 passes (1994, 2000)

How Brantley County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Brantley County, Georgia ranks #16 — more exposed than 99.3% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #8 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 4 Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 3 miles away on 2 October 1898 as a hurricane, reaching 115 kt (132 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 16 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 92 kt (106 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 David (1979) passed 50 miles away on 4 September 1979 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1947) passed 35 miles away on 15 October 1947 as a hurricane, reaching 78 kt (90 mph) while within 50 miles.

65 of the 74 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 74 storms spread over the 166 years from 1860 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 11 years, between 1933 and 1944. It has been 1 year since the last one; 38 of the 59 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Brantley County, Georgia?

6 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Brantley County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1860. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 74.

When was the last hurricane in Brantley County, Georgia?

David (1979), on 4 September 1979, passing 50 miles away — 47 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Debby (2024) in 2024.

What was the strongest storm to affect Brantley County, Georgia?

Unnamed Storm (1898), which reached 115 kt (132 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 3 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Brantley County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.2 years — 74 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

Brantley County, Georgia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Glynn County, Georgia has 79 on record.

Glynn County, Georgia79 storms within 50 mi Wayne County, Georgia78 storms within 50 mi Pierce County, Georgia74 storms within 50 mi Camden County, Georgia74 storms within 50 mi Ware County, Georgia70 storms within 50 mi Charlton County, Georgia70 storms within 50 mi