Wayne County, Georgia Hurricane History

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

Since 1852, 78 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Wayne County, Georgia — about one every 2.2 years. Of those, 10 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Debby (2024), which passed 16 miles away on 6 August 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

2.2

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 · 3Cat 2 · 3Cat 1 · 3TS / TD · 69

The 78 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 3 of them reached Cat 3.

Key facts

Most recentDebby (2024) — 16 mi away, 6 August 2024
Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1898) — 102 kt (117 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1912) — 3.7 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1898) — 22.6 miles
Passes within 25 miles39 of 78
Peak monthSeptember — 23 storms (29% of all)
Most active year1885 — 3 storms
Most active decade1880s and 1910s — 9 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi3
Record span1852–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Wayne County, Georgia, September is the most active month, with 23 of the 78 recorded storms (29%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 68% of all activity. The 1880s and 1910s are tied as the most active decades on record, with 9 storms. 3 of the 78 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	5	12	6	12	23	18	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: 16 storms in 1950–1987 against 16 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
2	2	6	9	5	3	9	2	3	5	3	6	4	3	2	5	5	4

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Debby (2024)	6 Aug 2024	15.5 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Idalia (2023)	30 Aug 2023	21.6 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Mindy (2021)	9 Sep 2021	24.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Elsa (2021)	8 Jul 2021	39.1 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Julia (2016)	14 Sep 2016	29.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Hermine (2016)	2 Sep 2016	24.5 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Colin (2016)	7 Jun 2016	38.5 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Andrea (2013)	7 Jun 2013	22.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Beryl (2012)	29 May 2012	26.7 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Alberto (2006)	14 Jun 2006	38.7 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Tammy (2005)	6 Oct 2005	45.8 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Bonnie (2004)	12 Aug 2004	10.7 mi	TS / TD	26 kt
Unnamed Storm (2003)	26 Jul 2003	26.9 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Gordon (2000)	18 Sep 2000	7.1 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Allison (1995)	6 Jun 1995	46.5 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Gordon (1994)	21 Nov 1994	18.4 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Unnamed Storm (1987)	17 Aug 1987	28.7 mi	TS / TD	10 kt
Kate (1985)	22 Nov 1985	45.3 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Isabel (1985)	11 Oct 1985	12.9 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
David (1979)	4 Sep 1979	42.1 mi	Cat 1	80 kt
Unnamed Storm (1976)	24 May 1976	32.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Alpha (1972)	28 May 1972	39.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Alma (1970)	25 May 1970	8.7 mi	TS / TD	33 kt
Abby (1968)	7 Jun 1968	4.5 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1966)	2 Jul 1966	33.5 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Alma (1966)	10 Jun 1966	11.7 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Dora (1964)	13 Sep 1964	44.4 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Cleo (1964)	29 Aug 1964	34.3 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Brenda (1960)	29 Jul 1960	7.4 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1957)	9 Jun 1957	9.6 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1953)	1 Sep 1953	40.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Love (1950)	22 Oct 1950	12.2 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	15 Oct 1947	15.2 mi	Cat 1	72 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	7 Oct 1947	46.1 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1946)	8 Oct 1946	7.1 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1945)	17 Sep 1945	49.6 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1944)	20 Oct 1944	35.6 mi	TS / TD	54 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	5 Sep 1935	44.5 mi	TS / TD	57 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	6 Sep 1933	36.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	15 Sep 1932	41.3 mi	TS / TD	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	16 Sep 1924	8.4 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1923)	27 Jun 1923	31.7 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1919)	1 Oct 1919	15.8 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	4 Oct 1916	5.7 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1916)	16 May 1916	45.0 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1915)	2 Aug 1915	19.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	17 Sep 1914	48.5 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	6 Sep 1912	3.7 mi	TS / TD	27 kt
Unnamed Storm (1912)	15 Jul 1912	17.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1911)	5 Aug 1911	8.4 mi	TS / TD	23 kt
Unnamed Storm (1910)	19 Oct 1910	38.6 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Sep 1907	17.4 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1907)	29 Jun 1907	13.7 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1902)	15 Jun 1902	45.9 mi	TS / TD	36 kt
Unnamed Storm (1898)	2 Oct 1898	22.6 mi	Cat 2	86 kt
Unnamed Storm (1896)	29 Sep 1896	17.1 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	9 Oct 1894	41.9 mi	Cat 1	67 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	28 Aug 1893	48.9 mi	Cat 3	100 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	16 Jun 1893	9.7 mi	TS / TD	46 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	9 Sep 1888	9.2 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	1 Jul 1886	45.1 mi	TS / TD	54 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	12 Oct 1885	21.5 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	21 Sep 1885	43.8 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1885)	31 Aug 1885	23.6 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1884)	11 Sep 1884	34.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Oct 1882	34.2 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	28 Aug 1881	24.3 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1880)	8 Sep 1880	44.7 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	11 Oct 1878	24.9 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	20 Sep 1877	28.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	19 Sep 1873	6.3 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1873)	2 Jun 1873	32.5 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	6 Oct 1871	19.8 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1871)	23 Aug 1871	20.6 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1868)	5 Oct 1868	24.3 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	13 Aug 1860	22.1 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1854)	8 Sep 1854	46.8 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1852)	10 Oct 1852	47.3 mi	TS / TD	58 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 7 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
Barry (2007)	Post-tropical	3 Jun 2007	31.9 mi	35 kt
Josephine (1996)	Post-tropical	8 Oct 1996	13.2 mi	45 kt
Hilda (1964)	Post-tropical	5 Oct 1964	38.0 mi	45 kt
Florence (1953)	Post-tropical	27 Sep 1953	26.6 mi	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	Post-tropical	24 Sep 1947	15.4 mi	42 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1924	20.6 mi	55 kt
Unnamed Storm (1917)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1917	46.5 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 Wayne County, Georgia more than once.

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

How Wayne County, Georgia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Wayne County, Georgia ranks #10 — more exposed than 99.5% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #7 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1898) passed 23 miles away on 2 October 1898 as a hurricane, reaching 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 49 miles away on 28 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1854) passed 47 miles away on 8 September 1854 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 17 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 92 kt (106 mph) while within 50 miles.

71 of the 78 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 2.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 78 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 13 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; 41 of the 62 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Wayne County, Georgia?

10 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Wayne County, Georgia at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 78.

When was the last hurricane in Wayne County, Georgia?

Kate (1985), on 22 November 1985, passing 45 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 Wayne County, Georgia?

Unnamed Storm (1898), which reached 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 23 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Wayne County, Georgia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.2 years — 78 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

Wayne County, Georgia borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Long County, Georgia has 84 on record.

Long County, Georgia84 storms within 50 mi McIntosh County, Georgia81 storms within 50 mi Glynn County, Georgia79 storms within 50 mi Brantley County, Georgia74 storms within 50 mi Pierce County, Georgia74 storms within 50 mi Appling County, Georgia71 storms within 50 mi Tattnall County, Georgia64 storms within 50 mi