Emanuel County, Georgia Hurricane History
Since 1851, 47 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Emanuel County, Georgia — about one every 3.7 years. Of those, 5 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Idalia (2023), which passed 49 miles away on 30 August 2023.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentIdalia (2023) — 49 mi away, 30 August 2023
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1854) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1877) — 1.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles23 of 47
- Peak monthAugust — 13 storms (28% of all)
- Most active year1852 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1851–2023
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idalia (2023) | 30 Aug 2023 | 48.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 8 Jul 2021 | 19.4 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Michael (2018) | 11 Oct 2018 | 47.8 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Hermine (2016) | 2 Sep 2016 | 49.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Beryl (2012) | 29 May 2012 | 48.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Alberto (2006) | 14 Jun 2006 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (2003) | 26 Jul 2003 | 2.9 mi | TS / TD | 18 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 13 Jun 2001 | 39.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 23 Sep 2000 | 48.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Allison (1995) | 6 Jun 1995 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Charley (1986) | 14 Aug 1986 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 10 kt |
| Kate (1985) | 22 Nov 1985 | 30.4 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 20 Jun 1972 | 33.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Abby (1968) | 7 Jun 1968 | 11.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Dora (1964) | 13 Sep 1964 | 29.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Cleo (1964) | 29 Aug 1964 | 30.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1953) | 1 Sep 1953 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Love (1950) | 22 Oct 1950 | 47.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 28 Aug 1949 | 28.9 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1946) | 8 Oct 1946 | 35.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 8 Oct 1941 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 12 Aug 1940 | 14.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 5 Sep 1935 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 7 Sep 1933 | 11.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 27 Jun 1923 | 42.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 3 Aug 1915 | 8.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 29 Aug 1911 | 16.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 2 Jul 1909 | 20.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 4 Nov 1904 | 24.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 15 Jun 1902 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 18 Sep 1901 | 11.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 31 Aug 1898 | 3.0 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 9 Oct 1894 | 33.7 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 9 Sep 1888 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 30.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 1 Jul 1886 | 21.9 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 22 Jun 1886 | 36.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 12 Oct 1885 | 30.4 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1884) | 11 Sep 1884 | 41.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 28 Aug 1881 | 45.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 3 Oct 1877 | 1.8 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 28 Aug 1871 | 22.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 31 Aug 1856 | 8.7 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 9 Sep 1854 | 46.6 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 10 Oct 1852 | 24.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 24 Aug 1851 | 17.4 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 8 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 | 7 Jul 2020 | 49.1 mi | 20 kt |
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 16.1 mi | 38 kt |
| Earl (1998) | Post-tropical | 3 Sep 1998 | 13.2 mi | 40 kt |
| Marco (1990) | Post-tropical | 12 Oct 1990 | 29.0 mi | 17 kt |
| Flossy (1956) | Post-tropical | 25 Sep 1956 | 15.6 mi | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1929 | 10.0 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 48.6 mi | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1917) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1917 | 42.5 mi | 30 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Emanuel County, Georgia more than once.
- Allison — 2 passes (1995, 2001)
How Emanuel County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Emanuel County, Georgia ranks #230 — more exposed than 89.6% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #56 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1854) passed 47 miles away on 9 September 1854 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 34 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1881) passed 45 miles away on 28 August 1881 as a hurricane, reaching 66 kt (76 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1949) passed 29 miles away on 28 August 1949 as a hurricane, reaching 61 kt (70 mph) while within 50 miles.
45 of the 47 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 47 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 3 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 15 years, between 1856 and 1871. It has been 2 years since the last one; 25 of the 43 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Emanuel County, Georgia?
5 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Emanuel County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 47.
When was the last hurricane in Emanuel County, Georgia?
Kate (1985), on 22 November 1985, passing 30 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Idalia (2023) in 2023.
What was the strongest storm to affect Emanuel County, Georgia?
Unnamed Storm (1854), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 47 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Emanuel County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.7 years — 47 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
Emanuel County, Georgia borders or sits close to 10 other counties with a published storm record. Tattnall County, Georgia has 64 on record.