Brooks County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1852, 69 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Brooks County, Georgia — about one every 2.5 years. Of those, 12 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 5 miles away on 27 September 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.5

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 3 · 1Cat 2 · 2Cat 1 · 10TS / TD · 56

The 69 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 3.

Key facts

Most recentHelene (2024) — 5 mi away, 27 September 2024
Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 107 kt (123 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordHermine (2016) — 2.5 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Helene (2024) — 5.1 miles
Passes within 25 miles33 of 69
Peak monthSeptember — 25 storms (36% of all)
Most active year1871 — 3 storms
Most active decade1870s — 8 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
Record span1852–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Brooks County, Georgia, September is the most active month, with 25 of the 69 recorded storms (36%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 74% of all activity. The 1870s was the most active decade on record, with 8 storms. 1 of the 69 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	3	8	5	11	25	15	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: 13 storms in 1950–1987 against 20 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
1	1	8	5	2	4	5	3	3	4	5	3	2	3	6	5	3	6

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Helene (2024)	27 Sep 2024	5.1 mi	Cat 2	95 kt
Debby (2024)	5 Aug 2024	45.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	33.3 mi	Cat 2	87 kt
Nicole (2022)	11 Nov 2022	44.2 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	14.4 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Elsa (2021)	7 Jul 2021	26.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Irma (2017)	11 Sep 2017	7.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	2.5 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	10.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Alberto (2006)	13 Jun 2006	22.9 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Tammy (2005)	6 Oct 2005	45.8 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	8.0 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Frances (2004)	6 Sep 2004	46.6 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	23.5 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Georges (1998)	30 Sep 1998	18.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Earl (1998)	3 Sep 1998	41.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Josephine (1996)	8 Oct 1996	38.5 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Jerry (1995)	26 Aug 1995	7.2 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Allison (1995)	5 Jun 1995	5.2 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Marco (1990)	12 Oct 1990	35.1 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	16 Aug 1987	11.6 mi	TS / TD	12 kt
Charley (1986)	13 Aug 1986	20.9 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	31.6 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	23 May 1976	45.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	39.1 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	39.2 mi	TS / TD	31 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	7.0 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Dora (1964)	11 Sep 1964	47.6 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	15.4 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Flossy (1956)	25 Sep 1956	48.9 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	46.3 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
King (1950)	19 Oct 1950	17.0 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Easy (1950)	7 Sep 1950	39.0 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	28 Aug 1949	40.5 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	16 Oct 1947	38.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	8 Oct 1947	3.3 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	7 Oct 1941	43.1 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	26.4 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	5 Sep 1933	13.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	46.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	29 Jul 1926	26.9 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	29 Sep 1924	18.3 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	17.9 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	47.0 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	23.2 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	40.2 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	16 Jul 1912	33.3 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	5 Aug 1911	27.0 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	24.5 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	5.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	18.3 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	28 Sep 1901	49.9 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	30.5 mi	Cat 1	78 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	43.3 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	15.2 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	21 Jun 1886	18.9 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	30 Sep 1885	39.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	29.1 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	10.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	17.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	3 Oct 1877	32.1 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	12.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1875)	28 Sep 1875	27.6 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	13.7 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	5 Oct 1871	24.2 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	26 Aug 1871	47.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	23 Aug 1871	40.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	17.3 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	8.2 mi	Cat 1	73 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 4 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
Nestor (2019)	Post-tropical	20 Oct 2019	44.9 mi	35 kt
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	9.5 mi	45 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	44.1 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1929)	Post-tropical	1 Oct 1929	32.2 mi	54 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 Brooks County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Brooks County, Georgia ranks #46 — more exposed than 97.9% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #18 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 3 Helene (2024) passed 5 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Idalia (2023) passed 33 miles away on 30 August 2023 as a hurricane, reaching 93 kt (107 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1852) passed 8 miles away on 10 October 1852 as a hurricane, reaching 83 kt (96 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 31 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 82 kt (94 mph) while within 50 miles.

64 of the 69 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.5 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 69 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 15 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; 32 of the 49 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Brooks County, Georgia?

12 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Brooks County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 69.

When was the last hurricane in Brooks County, Georgia?

Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 5 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 Brooks County, Georgia?

Helene (2024), which reached 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 5 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Brooks County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.5 years — 69 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

Brooks County, Georgia 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 Colquitt County, Georgia67 storms within 50 mi Madison County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi Thomas County, Georgia64 storms within 50 mi Hamilton County, Florida64 storms within 50 mi Jefferson County, Florida63 storms within 50 mi Cook County, Georgia61 storms within 50 mi