NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Auburn University, 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
24 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Auburn University, Alabama since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Fred in 2021. Since 1950, 99 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 23
- Tornadoes
- 99
- EF3 or stronger
- 8
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
50 deaths in all
What the records show for Auburn University
The strongest storm to pass near Auburn University was Eloise in 1975, a Category 1 hurricane with 77 mph winds when its centre passed 18 miles away. The record near Auburn University begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Fred in 2021, a tropical storm 63 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 5 systems. Of the 24 systems, one has come since 2000. Auburn University has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 63% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 99 tornadoes within 25 miles is EF4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on March 3, 2019, came within 10 miles. Of the 99, 9 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 66 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 26. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 77% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Auburn University. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 78 times since 1980, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Auburn University has more hail reports within 10 miles than 68% of the 323 Alabama cities.
Compare Auburn University's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Auburn University
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 18 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 43 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 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 2 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 Auburn University: 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 Auburn University
By decade
- 2020s16(1 EF3+)
- 2010s26(3 EF3+)
- 2000s24
- 1990s4
- 1980s11(1 EF3+)
- 1970s9(1 EF3+)
- 1960s4
- 1950s5(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF4 | 10 mi | 68.04 mi | 23 / 90 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 20 mi | 44.18 mi | 7 / 30 |
| Apr 18, 1953 | F3 | 1 mi | 39.8 mi | 8 / 495 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | 25 mi | 82.31 mi | 7 / 16 |
| Apr 1, 1981 | F3 | 25 mi | 0.1 mi | 2 / 23 |
| Mar 19, 1970 | F3 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 2 / 14 |
| Apr 29, 2014 | EF3 | 18 mi | 11.45 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Dec 5, 1954 | F3 | 7 mi | 51 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F2 | 21 mi | 45.5 mi | 1 / 6 |
| Mar 27, 2023 | EF2 | 18 mi | 15.41 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 30, 2022 | EF2 | 25 mi | 6.26 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 12 mi | 29.07 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 99, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Auburn University
The Storm Prediction Center has 78 hail reports within 10 miles of Auburn University since 1980, made on 60 separate days. Of these, 37 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently April 25, 2003. The most recent report is from August 11, 2023. April has the most reports, 24.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Auburn University
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Auburn No.2, AL, 1 mile east of Auburn University at 545 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 35°F. March and June are the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 56.4 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 46% of the year's precipitation (25.9 of 56.4 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 24 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (10); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 3.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 49 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 44 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in January. That 56.4 inches is more than at 34 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (32%). Opelika, 7 miles east, has its own station (Opelika, AL): 55.3 inches a year, 1.1 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 35 | 5.3 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 61 | 39 | 5.1 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Mar | 68 | 45 | 5.7 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Apr | 75 | 51 | 4.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 81 | 60 | 4.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 68 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 71 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 71 | 4.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 84 | 66 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 75 | 54 | 3.4 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 65 | 43 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 58 | 38 | 5.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Year | 74 | 53 | 56.4 | 80 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Auburn No.2, AL (545 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 Auburn University
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 107 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Auburn University: 87 thunderstorm wind reports, 16 flash floods, 2 lightning strikes, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 1 person and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $936,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on January 22, 2003. April has had the most flash floods, 4 of 16. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 190 have had fewer than Auburn University.
June 5, 1998: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Auburn University — 1 killed, $10,000 damage.
February 7, 2017: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Auburn University — 1 injured.
April 1, 2005: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Auburn University — $300,000 damage.
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
Lee County, which includes Auburn University, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 7 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 Lee County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $40.4 million a year, the 16th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $24.9 million (62%), 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 Auburn University
- Auburn, AL1 mi
- Opelika, AL7 mi
- Notasulga, AL13 mi
- Cusseta, AL16 mi
- Camp Hill, AL17 mi
- Tuskegee, AL17 mi
- Salem, AL18 mi
- Tuskegee Institute, AL18 mi
- Lafayette, AL21 mi
- Valley, AL22 mi
- Dadeville, AL22 mi
- Smiths Station, AL23 mi
All Alabama cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Auburn University with another place →