Early County, Georgia Hurricane History
Since 1851, 55 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Early County, Georgia — about one every 3.2 years. Of those, 10 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Nicole (2022), which passed 20 miles away on 11 November 2022.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentNicole (2022) — 20 mi away, 11 November 2022
- Strongest stormMichael (2018) — 116 kt (133 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1912) — 1.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Michael (2018) — 15.4 miles
- Passes within 25 miles26 of 55
- Peak monthSeptember — 21 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1901 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1900s and 1910s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
- Record span1851–2022
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole (2022) | 11 Nov 2022 | 20.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Fred (2021) | 17 Aug 2021 | 29.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Michael (2018) | 10 Oct 2018 | 15.4 mi | Cat 2 | 89 kt |
| Irma (2017) | 11 Sep 2017 | 47.9 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Tammy (2005) | 6 Oct 2005 | 19.8 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Frances (2004) | 7 Sep 2004 | 2.5 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 22 Sep 2000 | 34.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 30 Sep 1998 | 45.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Earl (1998) | 3 Sep 1998 | 35.5 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 16 Aug 1994 | 5.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Kate (1985) | 22 Nov 1985 | 48.6 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 20 Jun 1972 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Becky (1970) | 22 Jul 1970 | 22.8 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | 15 Jun 1965 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Dora (1964) | 12 Sep 1964 | 17.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Debbie (1957) | 8 Sep 1957 | 20.9 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Flossy (1956) | 25 Sep 1956 | 20.5 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Florence (1953) | 27 Sep 1953 | 11.4 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Alice (1953) | 7 Jun 1953 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| King (1950) | 19 Oct 1950 | 34.5 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Easy (1950) | 7 Sep 1950 | 44.5 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 16 Oct 1947 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 7 Oct 1941 | 42.8 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | 1 Oct 1929 | 40.5 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 14 Aug 1928 | 27.4 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 10 Aug 1928 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 26 Jun 1923 | 33.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 1 Oct 1919 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1917) | 29 Sep 1917 | 19.2 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Sep 1915 | 25.5 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 17 Sep 1914 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 6 Sep 1912 | 24.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 16 Jul 1912 | 1.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 4 Aug 1911 | 16.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 1 Jul 1909 | 17.9 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | 28 Sep 1907 | 45.7 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 13 Jun 1906 | 44.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 3 Nov 1904 | 6.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 28 Sep 1901 | 34.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 18 Sep 1901 | 29.8 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 14 Jun 1901 | 7.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 2 Aug 1899 | 46.7 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 8 Jul 1896 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 9 Oct 1894 | 42.9 mi | Cat 1 | 82 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 23 Sep 1889 | 45.2 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 38.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 37.2 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 3 Oct 1877 | 47.8 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 20 Sep 1877 | 38.9 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 27 Sep 1875 | 46.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 27 Aug 1871 | 24.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 23 Aug 1871 | 24.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 13 Aug 1860 | 10.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 31 Aug 1856 | 16.7 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 24 Aug 1851 | 21.8 mi | Cat 1 | 80 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 6 Jul 2020 | 11.0 mi | 20 kt |
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 19 Oct 2019 | 36.1 mi | 36 kt |
| Five (2010) | Remnant low | 15 Aug 2010 | 14.0 mi | 20 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | Post-tropical | 5 Oct 1964 | 40.9 mi | 47 kt |
How Early County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Early County, Georgia ranks #152 — more exposed than 93.1% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #38 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 4 Michael (2018) passed 15 miles away on 10 October 2018 as a hurricane, reaching 116 kt (133 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1851) passed 22 miles away on 24 August 1851 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 43 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1856) passed 17 miles away on 31 August 1856 as a hurricane, reaching 76 kt (87 mph) while within 50 miles.
52 of the 55 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 55 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 8 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 13 years, between 1972 and 1985. It has been 3 years since the last one; 18 of the 45 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Early County, Georgia?
10 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Early County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 55.
When was the last hurricane in Early County, Georgia?
Michael (2018), on 10 October 2018, passing 15 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 Early County, Georgia?
Michael (2018), which reached 116 kt (133 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 15 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Early County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.2 years — 55 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
Early County, Georgia borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Houston County, Alabama has 56 on record.