Chatham County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1854, 83 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Chatham County, Georgia — about one every 2.1 years. Of those, 19 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Debby (2024), which passed 2 miles away on 6 August 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.1

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 · 2Cat 2 · 8Cat 1 · 8TS / TD · 64

The 83 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 4.

Key facts

Most recentDebby (2024) — 2 mi away, 6 August 2024
Strongest stormGracie (1959) — 115 kt (132 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordDebby (2024) — 1.6 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1854) — 10.4 miles
Passes within 25 miles45 of 83
Peak monthSeptember — 24 storms (29% of all)
Most active year1985 — 4 storms
Most active decade1870s, 1880s, 1910s and 1980s — 7 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi3
Record span1854–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Chatham County, Georgia, September is the most active month, with 24 of the 83 recorded storms (29%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 71% of all activity. The 1870s, 1880s, 1910s and 1980s are tied as the most active decades on record, with 7 storms. 3 of the 83 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	4	8	8	19	24	16	4	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: 22 storms in 1950–1987 against 17 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
1	2	7	7	6	5	7	3	0	6	6	4	6	7	1	3	6	6

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Debby (2024)	6 Aug 2024	1.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	30.0 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Colin (2022)	1 Jul 2022	34.3 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	42.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Danny (2021)	29 Jun 2021	36.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Eta (2020)	12 Nov 2020	49.2 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Matthew (2016)	8 Oct 2016	32.5 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Julia (2016)	14 Sep 2016	23.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	28.4 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	32.8 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Andrea (2013)	7 Jun 2013	8.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Beryl (2012)	30 May 2012	23.1 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Bonnie (2004)	13 Aug 2004	13.8 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (2003)	26 Jul 2003	30.2 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Kyle (2002)	11 Oct 2002	25.8 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Gordon (1994)	21 Nov 1994	17.7 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Chris (1988)	28 Aug 1988	10.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Charley (1986)	15 Aug 1986	22.6 mi	TS / TD	15 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	43.3 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Isabel (1985)	11 Oct 1985	14.2 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Claudette (1985)	9 Aug 1985	47.8 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Bob (1985)	25 Jul 1985	34.3 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1981)	3 Jul 1981	24.6 mi	TS / TD	27 kt
David (1979)	4 Sep 1979	4.0 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	14 Sep 1976	12.2 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	24 May 1976	39.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Dawn (1972)	13 Sep 1972	19.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	11 Sep 1971	36.2 mi	TD	—
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	23.1 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	9.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Dora (1964)	13 Sep 1964	41.3 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Cleo (1964)	29 Aug 1964	18.3 mi	TS / TD	46 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	3.4 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Gracie (1959)	29 Sep 1959	45.8 mi	Cat 4	115 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	11.3 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1954)	10 Jul 1954	13.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1953)	1 Sep 1953	15.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Able (1952)	31 Aug 1952	33.4 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Love (1950)	22 Oct 1950	35.4 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	15 Oct 1947	12.5 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1946)	8 Oct 1946	43.1 mi	TS / TD	51 kt
Unnamed Storm (1945)	17 Sep 1945	10.1 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1944)	20 Oct 1944	3.1 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	8 Oct 1941	49.9 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1940)	11 Aug 1940	11.9 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	18 Sep 1928	22.6 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	14.5 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1923)	27 Jun 1923	5.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	4 Oct 1916	31.7 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	16 May 1916	17.9 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	16.7 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	15 Jul 1912	47.0 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	28 Aug 1911	16.0 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	5 Aug 1911	26.8 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1910)	19 Oct 1910	21.3 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	3 Jul 1909	29.1 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	12.1 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	20.9 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1906)	21 Oct 1906	44.6 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1904)	4 Nov 1904	45.0 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1898)	31 Aug 1898	15.7 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	29 Sep 1896	16.6 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	41.1 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	27 Sep 1894	22.1 mi	Cat 1	79 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	28 Aug 1893	10.7 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	8.4 mi	TS / TD	46 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	38.3 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	38.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	25 Aug 1885	36.5 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1884)	11 Sep 1884	22.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	25.3 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	28 Aug 1881	19.4 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	40.2 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	37.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	12 Sep 1878	35.6 mi	Cat 1	80 kt
Unnamed Storm (1874)	28 Sep 1874	25.8 mi	Cat 1	73 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	15.2 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Oct 1871	10.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	28 Aug 1871	28.4 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	19 Aug 1871	20.9 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	5 Oct 1868	27.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	14 Aug 1860	2.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1854)	8 Sep 1854	10.4 mi	Cat 2	85 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 7 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
Barry (2007)	Post-tropical	3 Jun 2007	1.1 mi	39 kt
Gordon (2000)	Post-tropical	18 Sep 2000	32.8 mi	25 kt
Josephine (1996)	Post-tropical	8 Oct 1996	7.5 mi	45 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	15.1 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	Post-tropical	24 Sep 1947	18.1 mi	41 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	Post-tropical	15 Sep 1932	43.5 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1924	33.0 mi	55 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1854–2025. 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 Chatham County, Georgia more than once.

Alma — 2 passes (1966, 1970)
Colin — 2 passes (2016, 2022)

How Chatham County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Chatham County, Georgia ranks #3 — more exposed than 99.9% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #2 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 4 Gracie (1959) passed 46 miles away on 29 September 1959 as a hurricane, reaching 115 kt (132 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 11 miles away on 28 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1854) passed 10 miles away on 8 September 1854 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1947) passed 12 miles away on 15 October 1947 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.

71 of the 83 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.1 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 83 storms spread over the 172 years from 1854 to 2025. 14 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 12 years, between 1928 and 1940. It has been 1 year since the last one; 36 of the 63 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Chatham County, Georgia?

19 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Chatham County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1854. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 83.

When was the last hurricane in Chatham County, Georgia?

Matthew (2016), on 8 October 2016, passing 33 miles away — 10 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Debby (2024) in 2024.

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

Gracie (1959), which reached 115 kt (132 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 46 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Chatham County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.1 years — 83 storms over the 172 years from 1854 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Chatham County, Georgia borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Bryan County, Georgia has 79 on record.

Bryan County, Georgia79 storms within 50 mi Liberty County, Georgia79 storms within 50 mi Beaufort County, South Carolina77 storms within 50 mi Jasper County, South Carolina75 storms within 50 mi Effingham County, Georgia72 storms within 50 mi