NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Alexander City, AL
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
21 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Alexander City, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 99 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 7 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 21
- Tornadoes
- 99
- EF3 or stronger
- 7
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
24 deaths in all
What the records show for Alexander City
None of the 21 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Alexander City; the strongest was Eloise in 1975, a tropical storm with 71 mph winds when its centre passed 12 miles away. The record near Alexander City begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 50 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 21 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Alexander City has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 57% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 99 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 10 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on January 12, 2023, killed 7 people. Of the 99, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 63 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 23. The most recent tornado was on March 15, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 77% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Alexander City. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 58 times since 1955, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Alexander City has more hail reports within 10 miles than 50% of the 323 Alabama cities.
Compare Alexander City's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Alexander City
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | IvanSep 16 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | JuanNov 1 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Alexander City: 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 Alexander City
By decade
- 2020s19(2 EF3+)
- 2010s20(1 EF3+)
- 2000s24
- 1990s9(1 EF3+)
- 1980s10
- 1970s8(1 EF3+)
- 1960s5(1 EF3+)
- 1950s4(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 10 mi | 44.18 mi | 7 / 30 |
| May 1, 1953 | F4 | 22 mi | 12.1 mi | 7 / 12 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | 5 mi | 82.31 mi | 7 / 16 |
| Nov 17, 1968 | F3 | 17 mi | 32.3 mi | 1 / 24 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF3 | 4 mi | 20.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 18, 1996 | F3 | 6 mi | 24 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1976 | F3 | 18 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF2 | 2 mi | 34.04 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F2 | 24 mi | 45.5 mi | 1 / 6 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF2 | 16 mi | 31.29 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF2 | 23 mi | 14.67 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2019 | EF2 | 22 mi | 8.58 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 99, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Alexander City
The Storm Prediction Center has 58 hail reports within 10 miles of Alexander City since 1955, made on 43 separate days. Of these, 37 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on April 10, 2009. The most recent report is from August 18, 2024. April has the most reports, 18.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Alexander City
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Alexander City, AL, 3 miles northwest of Alexander City at 640 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 32°F. January is the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 57.0 inches over 81 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (25.6 of 57.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 21 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 62 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 59 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in January. That 57.0 inches is more than at 48 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (45%). Eclectic, 15 miles south, has its own station (Rockford 3 ESE, AL): 60.2 inches a year, 3.2 more than here, and a July average high of 89°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 32 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Feb | 60 | 35 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 68 | 42 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 75 | 48 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 82 | 58 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 88 | 66 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 5.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 69 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 86 | 63 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 77 | 51 | 2.9 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 66 | 40 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 58 | 35 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Year | 75 | 51 | 57.0 | 81 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Alexander City, AL (640 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 Alexander City
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 89 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Alexander City: 78 thunderstorm wind reports, 7 flash floods, 3 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 7, and the NWS estimated $487,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on January 23, 2012. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 83 have had fewer than Alexander City.
July 4, 2008: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Alexander City — 3 injured, $1,000 damage.
NWS: “Two separate lightning strikes hit 3 people in Wind Creek State Park. All 3 were injured, and one had to be taken to the hospital.”
April 19, 2020: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Alexander City — 2 injured.
NWS: “Several trees fell onto a home with two injuries.”
January 23, 2012: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Alexander City — 1 injured.
NWS: “S. Highway 63 on County Road 11 where several trees were uprooted.”
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
Tallapoosa County, which includes Alexander City, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 7 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on May 5, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Tallapoosa County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $19.1 million a year, the 31st highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $12.9 million (67%), 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.