NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Albany, GA
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
56 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Albany, Georgia since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 95 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 8
- Tropical storms
- 48
- Tornadoes
- 95
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
34 deaths in all
What the records show for Albany
The strongest storm to pass near Albany was an unnamed storm in 1894, a Category 1 hurricane with 90 mph winds when its centre passed 32 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1856, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Albany begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 53 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems. Of the 56 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Albany has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 76% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 95 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on January 22, 2017, came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on February 13, 2000, killed 11 people. Of the 95, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 42 have come since 2000. March and April have had the most tornadoes, 15 each. The most recent tornado was on March 16, 2025. Albany has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 66% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 73 times since 1961, with stones up to 3.75 inches. Albany has more hail reports within 10 miles than 63% of the 405 Georgia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Albany
Of the 56 tracks on the map, 27 were moving northeast as they passed Albany, 10 east and 7 north. The unnamed 1894 storm, the strongest pass, was heading northeast; its centre passed 32 miles southeast of Albany. None made landfall within 75 miles of Albany; 44 of the 56 were hurricanes at their peak, 8 at their closest to the city. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 10 came near Albany: 3.3 a decade, against 3.2 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 53 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 12 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 7 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 31 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 75 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 6 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 32 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | overhead | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 56 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 2 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Albany: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Check hail and hurricane history for any address
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Albany
By decade
- 2020s11
- 2010s15(1 EF3+)
- 2000s16(2 EF3+)
- 1990s15
- 1980s5
- 1970s10
- 1960s13(1 EF3+)
- 1950s10
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 23 mi | 9.2 mi | 11 / 175 |
| Mar 20, 2003 | F3 | 17 mi | 25 mi | 6 / 200 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | 2 mi | 70.4 mi | 5 / 88 |
| Nov 11, 1968 | F3 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF2 | 10 mi | 30.53 mi | 6 / 3 |
| Oct 30, 1993 | F2 | 7 mi | 5 mi | 3 / 27 |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | 19 mi | 168.5 mi | 1 / 33 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF2 | 18 mi | 21.73 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 15, 2022 | EF2 | 22 mi | 1.96 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 20, 2020 | EF2 | 14 mi | 8.72 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF2 | 25 mi | 2.93 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF2 | 19 mi | 4.55 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 95, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Albany
The Storm Prediction Center has 73 hail reports within 10 miles of Albany since 1961, made on 53 separate days. Of these, 50 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3.75 inches, fell on June 14, 2023. The most recent report is from June 25, 2025. June has the most reports, 20.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Albany
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Albany SW Ga Regional Airport, GA, 2 miles southwest of Albany at 190 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 39°F. June and July are the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 46.7 inches over 67 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (23.6 of 46.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 56 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (20); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 3.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 106 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 28 nights a year. That 46.7 inches is more than at 8 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (7%). Baconton, 14 miles south, has its own station (Albany 3 SE, GA): 52.4 inches a year, 5.7 more than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 39 | 4.2 | 5 |
| Feb | 66 | 42 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Mar | 73 | 48 | 4.4 | 5 |
| Apr | 80 | 54 | 3.7 | 5 |
| May | 88 | 63 | 2.4 | 5 |
| Jun | 91 | 71 | 5.1 | 8 |
| Jul | 93 | 73 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 4.8 | 8 |
| Sep | 88 | 68 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Oct | 81 | 57 | 2.3 | 3 |
| Nov | 71 | 46 | 2.9 | 4 |
| Dec | 64 | 41 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Year | 79 | 56 | 46.7 | 67 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Albany SW Ga Regional Airport, GA (190 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Albany
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 297 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Albany: 213 thunderstorm wind reports, 56 flash floods, 19 floods, 7 lightning strikes and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $20.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on January 2, 2017. July has had the most flash floods, 16 of 56. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 376 have had fewer than Albany.
December 24, 2002: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Albany — 1 injured, $250,000 damage.
NWS: “Straight-line winds damaged several homes, an apartment complex, and downed numerous trees and power lines. One person suffered minor injuries.”
July 11, 2000: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Albany — 1 injured, $10,000 damage.
NWS: “A large tree fell onto a vehicle injuring the driver. Several trees and power lines down in Albany.”
January 2, 2017: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Albany — $17.0 million damage.
NWS: “A severe thunderstorm produced a 3 to 4 mile swath of 80 to 85 mph winds across the northern half of Albany proper, causing widespread damage across the city.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in Albany's 4 ZIP codes have filed 1,220 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $27.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994: 522 claims (43% of all) and $20.5 million, then Flooding in 1998 with 449 and Early winter storms in 2015 with 11. 82% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 154 Georgia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 151 have fewer than Albany.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Alberto1994 | 522 | $20.5 million |
| Flooding1998 | 449 | $4.1 million |
| Early winter storms2015 | 11 | $110,000 |
Dougherty County, which includes Albany, has been named in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tornadoes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 29, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Dougherty County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $35.7 million a year, the 19th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $22.4 million (63%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Albany
- Leesburg, GA10 mi
- Baconton, GA14 mi
- Sylvester, GA19 mi
- Dawson, GA21 mi
- Poulan, GA23 mi
- Doerun, GA23 mi
- Camilla, GA25 mi
- Morgan, GA26 mi
- Pelham, GA31 mi
- Ashburn, GA32 mi
- Meigs, GA34 mi
- Cordele, GA35 mi
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