Lowndes County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1852, 70 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lowndes County, Georgia — about one every 2.5 years. Of those, 11 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 14 miles away on 27 September 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.5

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 3 · 1Cat 2 · 1Cat 1 · 7TS / TD · 61

The 70 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 3.

Key facts

Most recentHelene (2024) — 14 mi away, 27 September 2024
Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 107 kt (123 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1902) — 0.1 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Helene (2024) — 13.9 miles
Passes within 25 miles37 of 70
Peak monthSeptember — 23 storms (33% of all)
Most active year1885 — 4 storms
Most active decade1880s — 9 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
Record span1852–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Lowndes County, Georgia, September is the most active month, with 23 of the 70 recorded storms (33%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 71% of all activity. The 1880s was the most active decade on record, with 9 storms. 1 of the 70 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	3	10	6	10	23	17	1	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: 12 storms in 1950–1987 against 19 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
1	1	8	9	2	3	6	3	3	3	4	3	2	3	5	5	4	5

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Helene (2024)	27 Sep 2024	13.9 mi	Cat 2	95 kt
Debby (2024)	5 Aug 2024	33.9 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	17.0 mi	Cat 1	80 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	8.0 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Elsa (2021)	7 Jul 2021	11.0 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Irma (2017)	11 Sep 2017	11.9 mi	TS / TD	46 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	11.7 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	47.4 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	5.2 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Alberto (2006)	13 Jun 2006	7.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Tammy (2005)	6 Oct 2005	39.3 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Jeanne (2004)	27 Sep 2004	25.4 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	11.0 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	46.6 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Georges (1998)	30 Sep 1998	22.1 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Josephine (1996)	8 Oct 1996	28.3 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Jerry (1995)	26 Aug 1995	11.0 mi	TS / TD	24 kt
Allison (1995)	5 Jun 1995	19.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Marco (1990)	12 Oct 1990	17.0 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	16 Aug 1987	0.8 mi	TS / TD	11 kt
Charley (1986)	13 Aug 1986	36.5 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	42.8 mi	Cat 1	68 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	23 May 1976	33.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	28.0 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	21.5 mi	TS / TD	31 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	4.5 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	40.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	1.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	30.6 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
King (1950)	19 Oct 1950	6.4 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Easy (1950)	7 Sep 1950	29.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	28 Aug 1949	22.0 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	15 Oct 1947	44.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	14.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	9.9 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	5 Sep 1933	3.8 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	37.7 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	29 Jul 1926	13.8 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	29 Sep 1924	12.1 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	7.0 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	44.9 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	5 Oct 1916	42.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	18.9 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	41.5 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	16 Jul 1912	32.3 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	5 Aug 1911	27.9 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	28.8 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	13.9 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	0.1 mi	TS / TD	41 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	40.9 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	32.9 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	41.7 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	24.8 mi	TS / TD	62 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	21 Jun 1886	36.6 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	35.0 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	30 Sep 1885	43.5 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	23.0 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	8.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	45.9 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	48.9 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	6.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	3 Oct 1877	44.8 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	14.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1875)	28 Sep 1875	44.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	12.1 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	2 Jun 1873	44.5 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Oct 1871	10.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	23 Aug 1871	37.7 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	4 Oct 1868	13.8 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	17.1 mi	Cat 1	73 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 3 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
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	10.6 mi	45 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	48.7 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1929)	Post-tropical	1 Oct 1929	43.0 mi	53 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1852–2025. 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 Lowndes County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Lowndes County, Georgia ranks #40 — more exposed than 98.2% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #16 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 3 Helene (2024) passed 14 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Idalia (2023) passed 17 miles away on 30 August 2023 as a hurricane, reaching 93 kt (107 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1852) passed 17 miles away on 10 October 1852 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 41 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles.

65 of the 70 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.5 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 70 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 16 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 16 years, between 1852 and 1868. It has been 1 year since the last one; 37 of the 50 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Lowndes County, Georgia?

11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lowndes County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 70.

When was the last hurricane in Lowndes County, Georgia?

Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 14 miles away — 2 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Helene (2024) in 2024.

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

Helene (2024), which reached 107 kt (123 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 14 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Lowndes County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.5 years — 70 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

Lowndes County, Georgia borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Brooks County, Georgia has 69 on record.

Brooks County, Georgia69 storms within 50 mi Lanier County, Georgia69 storms within 50 mi Madison County, Florida67 storms within 50 mi Echols County, Georgia67 storms within 50 mi Berrien County, Georgia64 storms within 50 mi Hamilton County, Florida64 storms within 50 mi Cook County, Georgia61 storms within 50 mi