Walker County, Georgia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1901, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Walker County, Georgia — about one every 7.8 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Zeta (2020), which passed 30 miles away on 29 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentZeta (2020) — 30 mi away, 29 October 2020
- Strongest stormZeta (2020) — 52 kt (60 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordIvan (2004) — 8.4 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles5 of 16
- Peak monthAugust — 5 storms (31% of all)
- Most active year1901 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1970s, 1990s and 2000s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1901–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 29.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 27 Aug 2008 | 32.2 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 17 Sep 2004 | 8.4 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 2 Jul 2003 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 23 Jul 1997 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Opal (1995) | 5 Oct 1995 | 32.2 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 28 Aug 1992 | 11.6 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 17 Aug 1985 | 31.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 7 Sep 1977 | 23.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Eloise (1975) | 23 Sep 1975 | 31.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Becky (1970) | 23 Jul 1970 | 35.6 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 13 Aug 1940 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 15 Aug 1928 | 41.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 10 Jul 1916 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 5 Sep 1915 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 14 Jun 1901 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 6 Sep 2011 | 4.0 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 17 Oct 1932 | 1.0 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 1905 | 29.1 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Walker County, Georgia more than once.
- Danny — 2 passes (1985, 1997)
How Walker County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Walker County, Georgia ranks #941 — more exposed than 57.4% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #153 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Zeta (2020) passed 30 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 52 kt (60 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Eloise (1975) passed 31 miles away on 23 September 1975 as a tropical storm, reaching 42 kt (48 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Opal (1995) passed 32 miles away on 5 October 1995 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1915) passed 29 miles away on 5 September 1915 as a tropical storm, reaching 33 kt (38 mph) while within 50 miles.
14 of the 16 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 125 years from 1901 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 30 years, between 1940 and 1970. It has been 5 years since the last one; 8 of the 15 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Walker County, Georgia?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Walker County, Georgia while at hurricane strength. 16 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1901, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Zeta (2020).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Walker County, Georgia?
Zeta (2020), on 29 October 2020, passing 30 miles away — 6 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Walker County, Georgia at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Walker County, Georgia?
Zeta (2020), which reached 52 kt (60 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 30 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Walker County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.8 years — 16 storms over the 125 years from 1901 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Walker County, Georgia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Chattooga County, Georgia has 21 on record.