Monroe County, Georgia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1852, 30 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Monroe County, Georgia — about one every 5.8 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 48 miles away on 27 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentHelene (2024) — 48 mi away, 27 September 2024
- Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 60 kt (69 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1911) — 1.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles13 of 30
- Peak monthSeptember — 10 storms (33% of all)
- Most active year1887 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s and 1890s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1852–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 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 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helene (2024) | 27 Sep 2024 | 48.4 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Nicole (2022) | 11 Nov 2022 | 40.7 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 20 Jun 2021 | 43.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Michael (2018) | 11 Oct 2018 | 42.0 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 27 Sep 2004 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 12 Jun 2001 | 21.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 22 Sep 2000 | 24.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Jerry (1995) | 27 Aug 1995 | 4.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 16 Aug 1994 | 9.1 mi | TS / TD | 21 kt |
| Alberto (1994) | 6 Jul 1994 | 38.1 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 20 Jun 1972 | 48.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | 15 Jun 1965 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 2 Jun 1959 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Debbie (1957) | 9 Sep 1957 | 28.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 8 Oct 1947 | 47.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 12 Aug 1940 | 2.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 10 Aug 1928 | 39.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 30 Aug 1911 | 1.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 16 Sep 1903 | 45.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 18 Sep 1901 | 47.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Oct 1898 | 27.3 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 1 Sep 1898 | 23.2 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 8 Jul 1896 | 9.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 3 Oct 1893 | 23.1 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 15.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 43.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 28 Jul 1887 | 44.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 7.2 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 16 Sep 1859 | 33.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 7.2 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 | 8.6 mi | 30 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 7 Jul 2020 | 19.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | Post-tropical | 14 Jun 1912 | 44.8 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | Post-tropical | 28 Sep 1901 | 10.0 mi | 35 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Monroe County, Georgia more than once.
- Helene — 2 passes (2000, 2024)
How Monroe County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Monroe County, Georgia ranks #522 — more exposed than 76.4% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #93 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Helene (2024) passed 48 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Michael (2018) passed 42 miles away on 11 October 2018 as a hurricane, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 27 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 23 miles away on 3 October 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 47 kt (54 mph) while within 50 miles.
29 of the 30 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 5.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 30 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 23 years, between 1859 and 1882. It has been 1 year since the last one; 23 of the 26 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Monroe County, Georgia?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Monroe County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 30.
When was the last hurricane in Monroe County, Georgia?
Michael (2018), on 11 October 2018, passing 42 miles away — 8 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Helene (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Monroe County, Georgia?
Helene (2024), which reached 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 48 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Monroe County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 5.8 years — 30 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
Monroe County, Georgia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Upson County, Georgia has 30 on record.