Henry County, Georgia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1852, 24 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Henry County, Georgia — about one every 7.2 years. Of those, 0 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
Key facts
- Most recentNicole (2022) — 20 mi away, 11 November 2022
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 47 kt (54 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1859) — 7.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles14 of 24
- Peak monthSeptember — 9 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1959 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s, 1890s, 1950s, 1990s and 2020s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1852–2022
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole (2022) | 11 Nov 2022 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Fred (2021) | 17 Aug 2021 | 42.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 20 Jun 2021 | 11.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Frances (2004) | 8 Sep 2004 | 28.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Jerry (1995) | 27 Aug 1995 | 13.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 17 Aug 1994 | 18.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Alberto (1994) | 6 Jul 1994 | 14.7 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Edith (1971) | 18 Sep 1971 | 49.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Irene (1959) | 9 Oct 1959 | 46.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 2 Jun 1959 | 24.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Debbie (1957) | 9 Sep 1957 | 28.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 12 Aug 1940 | 13.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 5 Sep 1915 | 48.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 30 Aug 1911 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 16 Sep 1903 | 12.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 15 Sep 1900 | 24.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Oct 1898 | 39.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 8 Jul 1896 | 36.6 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 3 Oct 1893 | 11.7 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 46.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 28 Jul 1887 | 17.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 16 Sep 1859 | 7.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sally (2020) | Post-tropical | 17 Sep 2020 | 25.4 mi | 30 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 7 Jul 2020 | 49.2 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | Post-tropical | 14 Jun 1912 | 20.1 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | Post-tropical | 23 Sep 1907 | 37.5 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1902 | 35.7 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | Post-tropical | 28 Sep 1901 | 34.4 mi | 35 kt |
How Henry County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Henry County, Georgia ranks #650 — more exposed than 70.6% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #118 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 12 miles away on 3 October 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 47 kt (54 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1889) passed 46 miles away on 24 September 1889 as a tropical storm, reaching 45 kt (52 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 40 miles away on 3 October 1898 as a tropical storm, reaching 43 kt (49 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1882) passed 24 miles away on 10 September 1882 as a tropical storm, reaching 43 kt (49 mph) while within 50 miles.
23 of the 24 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 24 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 3 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 25 years, between 1915 and 1940. It has been 3 years since the last one; 12 of the 20 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Henry County, Georgia?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Henry County, Georgia while at hurricane strength. 24 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1852, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1893).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Henry County, Georgia?
Nicole (2022), on 11 November 2022, passing 20 miles away — 4 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Henry County, Georgia at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Henry County, Georgia?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 47 kt (54 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 12 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Henry County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.2 years — 24 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
Henry County, Georgia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Spalding County, Georgia has 26 on record.