Whitfield County, Georgia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1915, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Whitfield County, Georgia — about one every 6.9 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Fred (2021), which passed 38 miles away on 17 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentFred (2021) — 38 mi away, 17 August 2021
- Strongest stormZeta (2020) — 50 kt (58 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordBill (2003) — 7.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 16
- Peak monthAugust — 6 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1915 — 1 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1915–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred (2021) | 17 Aug 2021 | 37.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 23.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 27 Aug 2008 | 41.2 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | 7 Jul 2005 | 42.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 17 Sep 2004 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 2 Jul 2003 | 7.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 23 Jul 1997 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Opal (1995) | 5 Oct 1995 | 48.9 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 28 Aug 1992 | 18.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 17 Aug 1985 | 31.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 8 Sep 1977 | 22.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Eloise (1975) | 23 Sep 1975 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 13 Aug 1940 | 9.6 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 15 Aug 1928 | 27.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 10 Jul 1916 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 5 Sep 1915 | 11.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 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 | 17.0 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 17 Oct 1932 | 12.1 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 1905 | 34.3 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Whitfield County, Georgia more than once.
- Danny — 2 passes (1985, 1997)
How Whitfield County, Georgia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Whitfield County, Georgia ranks #943 — more exposed than 57.3% of them. Within Georgia it ranks #155 of 159, against a state average of 39.8 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Zeta (2020) passed 23 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Eloise (1975) passed 15 miles away on 23 September 1975 as a tropical storm, reaching 42 kt (48 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Opal (1995) passed 49 miles away on 5 October 1995 as a tropical storm, reaching 33 kt (38 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1915) passed 12 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 6.9 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 111 years from 1915 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 35 years, between 1940 and 1975. It has been 4 years since the last one; 7 of the 15 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Whitfield County, Georgia?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Whitfield County, Georgia while at hurricane strength. 16 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1915, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Zeta (2020).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Whitfield County, Georgia?
Fred (2021), on 17 August 2021, passing 38 miles away — 5 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Whitfield County, Georgia at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Whitfield County, Georgia?
Zeta (2020), which reached 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 23 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Whitfield County, Georgia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.9 years — 16 storms over the 111 years from 1915 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Whitfield County, Georgia borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Gordon County, Georgia has 16 on record.