Putnam County, Georgia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1852, 28 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Putnam County, Georgia — about one every 6.2 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Helene (2024), which passed 15 miles away on 27 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentHelene (2024) — 15 mi away, 27 September 2024
- Strongest stormHelene (2024) — 60 kt (69 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordArlene (1959) — 5.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles10 of 28
- Peak monthSeptember — 9 storms (32% of all)
- Most active year1852 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1880s and 2000s — 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 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 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 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helene (2024) | 27 Sep 2024 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 20 Jun 2021 | 29.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Michael (2018) | 11 Oct 2018 | 32.2 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 28 Sep 2004 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (2003) | 27 Jul 2003 | 30.9 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 12 Jun 2001 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 23 Sep 2000 | 23.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Jerry (1995) | 27 Aug 1995 | 31.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 17 Aug 1994 | 28.5 mi | TS / TD | 19 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 20 Jun 1972 | 43.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | 15 Jun 1965 | 25.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 2 Jun 1959 | 5.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 28 Aug 1949 | 39.7 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 8 Oct 1947 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 12 Aug 1940 | 40.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 11 Aug 1928 | 25.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 30 Aug 1911 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 16 Sep 1903 | 37.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 15 Sep 1900 | 44.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 1 Sep 1898 | 47.6 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 8 Jul 1896 | 7.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 3 Oct 1893 | 16.1 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 13.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 45.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 22 Jun 1886 | 43.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 15.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 16 Sep 1859 | 30.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 18.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 5 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 | 5.2 mi | 30 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 7 Jul 2020 | 8.8 mi | 20 kt |
| Marco (1990) | Post-tropical | 12 Oct 1990 | 45.4 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | Post-tropical | 14 Jun 1912 | 35.5 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | Post-tropical | 28 Sep 1901 | 11.7 mi | 35 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Putnam County, Georgia more than once.
- Helene — 2 passes (2000, 2024)
How Putnam County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Putnam County, Georgia ranks #561 — more exposed than 74.6% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #101 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Helene (2024) passed 15 miles away on 27 September 2024 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1949) passed 40 miles away on 28 August 1949 as a tropical storm, reaching 56 kt (64 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Michael (2018) passed 32 miles away on 11 October 2018 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 16 miles away on 3 October 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 45 kt (52 mph) while within 50 miles.
27 of the 28 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 6.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 28 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 0 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 27 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Putnam County, Georgia?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Putnam County, Georgia while at hurricane strength. 28 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1852, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Helene (2024).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Putnam County, Georgia?
Helene (2024), on 27 September 2024, passing 15 miles away — 2 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Putnam County, Georgia at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Putnam County, Georgia?
Helene (2024), which reached 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 15 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Putnam County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.2 years — 28 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
Putnam County, Georgia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Baldwin County, Georgia has 30 on record.