Lamar County, Georgia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1852, 25 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lamar County, Georgia — about one every 7.0 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Nicole (2022), which passed 28 miles away on 11 November 2022.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentNicole (2022) — 28 mi away, 11 November 2022
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1898) — 51 kt (59 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1940) — 4.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles13 of 25
- Peak monthSeptember — 10 storms (40% of all)
- Most active year1898 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 5 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 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 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 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole (2022) | 11 Nov 2022 | 27.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 20 Jun 2021 | 36.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 27 Sep 2004 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Frances (2004) | 7 Sep 2004 | 37.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Hanna (2002) | 15 Sep 2002 | 49.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 12 Jun 2001 | 30.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 22 Sep 2000 | 33.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Jerry (1995) | 27 Aug 1995 | 9.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 16 Aug 1994 | 7.9 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Alberto (1994) | 6 Jul 1994 | 25.7 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | 15 Jun 1965 | 41.2 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 2 Jun 1959 | 5.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Debbie (1957) | 9 Sep 1957 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 12 Aug 1940 | 4.1 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 30 Aug 1911 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 15 Sep 1903 | 35.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Oct 1898 | 21.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 1 Sep 1898 | 26.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 8 Jul 1896 | 21.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 3 Oct 1893 | 14.5 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 23.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 28 Jul 1887 | 31.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 5.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 16 Sep 1859 | 22.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 9.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sally (2020) | Post-tropical | 17 Sep 2020 | 6.8 mi | 30 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 7 Jul 2020 | 32.1 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | Post-tropical | 14 Jun 1912 | 35.8 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | Post-tropical | 28 Sep 1901 | 23.2 mi | 35 kt |
How Lamar County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Lamar County, Georgia ranks #635 — more exposed than 71.2% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #115 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 21 miles away on 3 October 1898 as a tropical storm, reaching 51 kt (59 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 14 miles away on 3 October 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 48 kt (55 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1882) passed 6 miles away on 10 September 1882 as a tropical storm, reaching 46 kt (53 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 21 miles away on 8 July 1896 as a tropical storm, reaching 45 kt (52 mph) while within 50 miles.
25 of the 25 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.0 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 25 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 29 years, between 1911 and 1940. It has been 3 years since the last one; 12 of the 21 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Lamar County, Georgia?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Lamar County, Georgia while at hurricane strength. 25 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1852, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1898).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Lamar County, Georgia?
Nicole (2022), on 11 November 2022, passing 28 miles away — 4 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Lamar County, Georgia at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Lamar County, Georgia?
Unnamed Storm (1898), which reached 51 kt (59 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 21 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Lamar County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.0 years — 25 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
Lamar County, Georgia borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Monroe County, Georgia has 30 on record.