NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit St Simons Island, GA
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
96 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of St Simons Island, Georgia since 1851, 23 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 40 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 23
- Tropical storms
- 73
- Tornadoes
- 40
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
Tropical storms and hurricanes near St Simons Island
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 46 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 28 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 2 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 61 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1994 | JohnSep 8 | 13 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | IsabelOct 10 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | BobJul 24 | 52 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 29 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 15 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 14 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 27 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 70 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1968 | BrendaJun 20 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 30 | 67 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1950 | EasySep 7 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 41 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 19 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 11 | 70 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 17 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 15 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 17 mi | Category 3 (123 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 68 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 25 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 28 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 42 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 27 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormJun 18 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 34 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 19 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 30 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 39 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 10 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 39 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 9 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 11 | 43 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | overhead | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 10 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 7 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 22 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 7 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 14 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 8 | 25 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 21 | 34 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in St Simons Island: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of St Simons Island
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s5(1 EF3+)
- 2000s12(1 EF3+)
- 1990s5
- 1980s2
- 1970s2
- 1960s5
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF4 | 16 mi | 11 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Dec 2, 2018 | EF3 | 25 mi | 7.09 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Feb 27, 1984 | F2 | 21 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 1963 | F2 | 2 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | EF1 | 2 mi | 0.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | EF1 | 7 mi | 7.91 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 2, 2018 | EF1 | 11 mi | 0.59 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF1 | 18 mi | 16.64 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2009 | EF1 | 24 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF1 | 2 mi | 5.22 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 7, 2008 | EF1 | 24 mi | 0.61 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 7, 1995 | F1 | 2 mi | 6.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 40, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
How to read this page
A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of St Simons Island while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.
Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.
Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.