Decatur County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1851, 57 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Decatur County, Georgia — about one every 3.1 years. Of those, 12 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Nicole (2022), which passed 11 miles away on 11 November 2022.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

3.1

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 2 · 3Cat 1 · 6TS / TD · 47

The 57 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 4.

Key facts

Most recentNicole (2022) — 11 mi away, 11 November 2022
Strongest stormMichael (2018) — 116 kt (133 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordEarl (1998) — 1.7 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Michael (2018) — 18.1 miles
Passes within 25 miles28 of 57
Peak monthSeptember — 17 storms (30% of all)
Most active year1885 — 3 storms
Most active decade1870s, 1900s and 1910s — 6 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
Record span1851–2022

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Decatur County, Georgia, September is the most active month, with 17 of the 57 recorded storms (30%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 77% of all activity. The 1870s, 1900s and 1910s are tied as the most active decades on record, with 6 storms. 1 of the 57 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	0	6	4	15	17	12	3	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: 8 storms in 1950–1987 against 10 in 1988–2025.

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

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Nicole (2022)	11 Nov 2022	10.6 mi	TS / TD	31 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	45.7 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Fred (2021)	17 Aug 2021	48.7 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Michael (2018)	10 Oct 2018	18.1 mi	Cat 3	98 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	43.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Frances (2004)	6 Sep 2004	5.4 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Georges (1998)	30 Sep 1998	17.1 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Earl (1998)	3 Sep 1998	1.7 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Allison (1995)	5 Jun 1995	46.8 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Beryl (1994)	16 Aug 1994	31.7 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Charley (1986)	13 Aug 1986	35.1 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	17.0 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Agnes (1972)	20 Jun 1972	22.2 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Becky (1970)	22 Jul 1970	40.5 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	48.0 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Dora (1964)	11 Sep 1964	7.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Flossy (1956)	25 Sep 1956	15.6 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
King (1950)	19 Oct 1950	49.4 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	16 Oct 1947	15.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	18.3 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	7 Oct 1941	14.0 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1937)	31 Aug 1937	38.5 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	22 Aug 1936	44.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1929)	1 Oct 1929	5.7 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	14 Aug 1928	33.4 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1928)	10 Aug 1928	6.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	49.7 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	43.1 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (1915)	4 Sep 1915	46.1 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	19.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	29.4 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	16 Jul 1912	29.4 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	4 Aug 1911	16.4 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	1 Jul 1909	5.0 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	28 Sep 1907	13.1 mi	TS / TD	41 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	23.2 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1904)	3 Nov 1904	31.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	28 Sep 1901	10.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	14 Jun 1901	9.4 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1899)	2 Aug 1899	48.4 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	10.0 mi	Cat 1	82 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	32.6 mi	Cat 1	68 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	21 Jun 1886	41.0 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	29 Sep 1885	34.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	46.2 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	28.5 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	10 Oct 1878	38.5 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	3 Oct 1877	13.4 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	5.7 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1875)	27 Sep 1875	10.3 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	26 Aug 1871	5.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	23 Aug 1871	36.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	43.7 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	13 Aug 1860	42.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1856)	31 Aug 1856	19.8 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	48.4 mi	Cat 1	80 kt
Unnamed Storm (1851)	24 Aug 1851	13.6 mi	Cat 2	83 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
Fay (2020)	Remnant low	6 Jul 2020	19.8 mi	20 kt
Nestor (2019)	Post-tropical	19 Oct 2019	1.4 mi	37 kt
Five (2010)	Remnant low	15 Aug 2010	39.9 mi	20 kt
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	9.3 mi	46 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	23.1 mi	40 kt

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

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Decatur County, Georgia ranks #135 — more exposed than 93.9% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #35 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 4 Michael (2018) passed 18 miles away on 10 October 2018 as a hurricane, reaching 116 kt (133 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 10 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 91 kt (105 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1851) passed 14 miles away on 24 August 1851 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1877) passed 13 miles away on 3 October 1877 as a hurricane, reaching 83 kt (96 mph) while within 50 miles.

54 of the 57 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 3.1 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 57 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 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 14 years, between 2004 and 2018. It has been 3 years since the last one; 20 of the 43 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Decatur County, Georgia?

12 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Decatur County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 57.

When was the last hurricane in Decatur County, Georgia?

Michael (2018), on 10 October 2018, passing 18 miles away — 8 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Nicole (2022) in 2022.

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

Michael (2018), which reached 116 kt (133 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 18 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Decatur County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.1 years — 57 storms over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Decatur County, Georgia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Grady County, Georgia has 58 on record.

Grady County, Georgia58 storms within 50 mi Gadsden County, Florida58 storms within 50 mi Baker County, Georgia54 storms within 50 mi Seminole County, Georgia53 storms within 50 mi Mitchell County, Georgia52 storms within 50 mi Miller County, Georgia52 storms within 50 mi