Toombs County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1851, 56 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Toombs County, Georgia — about one every 3.1 years. Of those, 7 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Idalia (2023), which passed 26 miles away on 30 August 2023.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

3.1

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 1 · 5TS / TD · 51

The 56 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 5 of them reached Cat 1.

Key facts

Most recentIdalia (2023) — 26 mi away, 30 August 2023
Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1947) — 78 kt (90 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordDora (1964) — 2.2 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
Passes within 25 miles31 of 56
Peak monthAugust — 15 storms (27% of all)
Most active year1871 — 2 storms
Most active decade1880s, 1900s, 1910s, 1940s and 1960s — 5 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
Record span1851–2023

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Toombs County, Georgia, August is the most active month, with 15 of the 56 recorded storms (27%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 71% of all activity. The 1880s, 1900s, 1910s, 1940s and 1960s are tied as the most active decades on record, with 5 storms. 0 of the 56 storms were major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) while within 50 miles.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
0	0	0	0	2	7	5	15	13	12	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: 12 storms in 1950–1987 against 9 in 1988–2025.

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

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	26.1 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Elsa (2021)	8 Jul 2021	5.2 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	24.5 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	19.1 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Alberto (2006)	14 Jun 2006	4.8 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	48.6 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (2003)	26 Jul 2003	22.8 mi	TS / TD	19 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	37.3 mi	TS / TD	27 kt
Allison (1995)	6 Jun 1995	2.4 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	17 Aug 1987	22.0 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Charley (1986)	14 Aug 1986	23.4 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	10.2 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	48.1 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Abby (1968)	7 Jun 1968	18.3 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	22.3 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	34.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Dora (1964)	13 Sep 1964	2.2 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Cleo (1964)	29 Aug 1964	46.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	35.8 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1953)	1 Sep 1953	16.7 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Love (1950)	22 Oct 1950	30.5 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	28 Aug 1949	31.1 mi	TS / TD	62 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	15 Oct 1947	31.7 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1946)	8 Oct 1946	31.8 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1941)	8 Oct 1941	19.5 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1940)	12 Aug 1940	18.4 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	5.7 mi	TS / TD	54 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	6 Sep 1933	10.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	40.7 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1923)	27 Jun 1923	9.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	49.5 mi	TS / TD	34 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	4 Oct 1916	48.0 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1915)	3 Aug 1915	6.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	40.0 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	29 Aug 1911	14.6 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1909)	2 Jul 1909	11.9 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	32.4 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1904)	4 Nov 1904	8.0 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	4.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	18 Sep 1901	42.7 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1898)	2 Oct 1898	38.9 mi	Cat 1	73 kt
Unnamed Storm (1898)	31 Aug 1898	33.3 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	13.5 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	31.3 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	8.0 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	18.6 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1884)	11 Sep 1884	46.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	28 Aug 1881	13.3 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	3 Oct 1877	23.4 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	40.7 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Oct 1871	25.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	28 Aug 1871	8.3 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	13 Aug 1860	20.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1856)	31 Aug 1856	33.7 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	8.0 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1851)	24 Aug 1851	43.6 mi	TS / TD	58 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 8 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
Nestor (2019)	Post-tropical	20 Oct 2019	26.9 mi	38 kt
Earl (1998)	Post-tropical	3 Sep 1998	19.9 mi	40 kt
Marco (1990)	Post-tropical	12 Oct 1990	35.7 mi	19 kt
Flossy (1956)	Post-tropical	25 Sep 1956	13.5 mi	38 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	20.0 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1929)	Post-tropical	1 Oct 1929	10.9 mi	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1924	29.3 mi	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1917)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1917	12.8 mi	30 kt

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

1 named storm in this record passed Toombs County, Georgia more than once.

Alma — 2 passes (1966, 1970)

How Toombs County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Toombs County, Georgia ranks #146 — more exposed than 93.4% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #37 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1947) passed 32 miles away on 15 October 1947 as a hurricane, reaching 78 kt (90 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 39 miles away on 2 October 1898 as a hurricane, reaching 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1881) passed 13 miles away on 28 August 1881 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 14 miles away on 9 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.

53 of the 56 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 3.1 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 56 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 4 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 15 years, between 1970 and 1985. It has been 2 years since the last one; 26 of the 51 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Toombs County, Georgia?

7 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Toombs County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 56.

When was the last hurricane in Toombs County, Georgia?

Kate (1985), on 22 November 1985, passing 10 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Idalia (2023) in 2023.

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

Unnamed Storm (1947), which reached 78 kt (90 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 32 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Toombs County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.1 years — 56 storms over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Toombs County, Georgia borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Appling County, Georgia has 71 on record.

Appling County, Georgia71 storms within 50 mi Tattnall County, Georgia64 storms within 50 mi Jeff Davis County, Georgia63 storms within 50 mi Montgomery County, Georgia54 storms within 50 mi Candler County, Georgia52 storms within 50 mi Treutlen County, Georgia48 storms within 50 mi Emanuel County, Georgia47 storms within 50 mi