Pierce County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1852, 74 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Pierce County, Georgia — about one every 2.4 years. Of those, 8 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Debby (2024), which passed 21 miles away on 6 August 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.4

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 · 5TS / TD · 67

The 74 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 3.

Key facts

Most recentDebby (2024) — 21 mi away, 6 August 2024
Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1898) — 102 kt (117 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1915) — 0.7 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1898) — 1.6 miles
Passes within 25 miles38 of 74
Peak monthSeptember and October — 19 storms (26% of all)
Most active year1885 — 3 storms
Most active decade1880s and 1910s — 8 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 Pierce County, Georgia, September and October are tied as the most active months, with 19 of the 74 recorded storms (26%). Activity concentrates in June, September and October, together 69% of all storms. The 1880s and 1910s are tied as the most active decades on record, with 8 storms. 1 of the 74 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	4	13	6	11	19	19	2	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: 14 storms in 1950–1987 against 18 in 1988–2025.

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

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Debby (2024)	6 Aug 2024	21.0 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	19.8 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	19.0 mi	TS / TD	31 kt
Elsa (2021)	8 Jul 2021	30.6 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Julia (2016)	14 Sep 2016	42.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	24.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	45.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Andrea (2013)	7 Jun 2013	29.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	32.8 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Barry (2007)	2 Jun 2007	44.1 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Alberto (2006)	14 Jun 2006	29.2 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Tammy (2005)	6 Oct 2005	24.8 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	1.6 mi	TS / TD	27 kt
Unnamed Storm (2003)	26 Jul 2003	49.0 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	9.8 mi	TS / TD	29 kt
Allison (1995)	6 Jun 1995	46.4 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Gordon (1994)	21 Nov 1994	24.5 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Marco (1990)	12 Oct 1990	46.6 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	17 Aug 1987	27.5 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	47.8 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Isabel (1985)	11 Oct 1985	24.5 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	24 May 1976	27.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	34.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	18.7 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Abby (1968)	7 Jun 1968	24.4 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	28.6 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	12.4 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Dora (1964)	12 Sep 1964	48.2 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	13.0 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	17.8 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Love (1950)	21 Oct 1950	4.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Easy (1950)	7 Sep 1950	42.0 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	28 Aug 1949	40.9 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	15 Oct 1947	24.8 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	32.0 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1946)	8 Oct 1946	14.4 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Unnamed Storm (1944)	20 Oct 1944	49.0 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	34.7 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	6 Sep 1933	28.5 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	39.4 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	4.0 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1923)	27 Jun 1923	44.1 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	6.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	4 Oct 1916	16.1 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1915)	2 Aug 1915	0.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	29.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	13.6 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	15 Jul 1912	6.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	5 Aug 1911	1.6 mi	TS / TD	22 kt
Unnamed Storm (1910)	19 Oct 1910	43.6 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	21.1 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	5.2 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	37.6 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1898)	2 Oct 1898	1.6 mi	Cat 1	82 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	29 Sep 1896	26.2 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	43.7 mi	Cat 1	68 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	13.7 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	5.0 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	42.2 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	11.6 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	40.5 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	15.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	33.6 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	28 Aug 1881	39.6 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	41.5 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	21.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	16.5 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	15.6 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	2 Jun 1873	17.0 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Oct 1871	15.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	23 Aug 1871	5.1 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	5 Oct 1868	23.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	13 Aug 1860	33.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	46.4 mi	TS / TD	60 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
Josephine (1996)	Post-tropical	8 Oct 1996	27.5 mi	45 kt
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	24.5 mi	45 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	33.2 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	Post-tropical	24 Sep 1947	25.0 mi	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1924	21.6 mi	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1917)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1917	47.8 mi	30 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.

Storms that came back

2 named storms in this record passed Pierce County, Georgia more than once.

Alma — 2 passes (1966, 1970)
Gordon — 2 passes (1994, 2000)

How Pierce County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Pierce County, Georgia ranks #18 — more exposed than 99.2% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #10 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 2 miles away on 2 October 1898 as a hurricane, reaching 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 26 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 92 kt (106 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1947) passed 25 miles away on 15 October 1947 as a hurricane, reaching 78 kt (90 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1881) passed 40 miles away on 28 August 1881 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.

68 of the 74 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 74 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 11 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 9 years, between 1935 and 1944. It has been 1 year since the last one; 40 of the 60 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Pierce County, Georgia?

8 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Pierce County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 74.

When was the last hurricane in Pierce County, Georgia?

Kate (1985), on 22 November 1985, passing 48 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Debby (2024) in 2024.

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

Unnamed Storm (1898), which reached 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 2 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Pierce County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.4 years — 74 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

Pierce County, Georgia borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Wayne County, Georgia has 78 on record.

Wayne County, Georgia78 storms within 50 mi Brantley County, Georgia74 storms within 50 mi Appling County, Georgia71 storms within 50 mi Bacon County, Georgia71 storms within 50 mi Ware County, Georgia70 storms within 50 mi