NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Bainbridge, 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
71 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Bainbridge, Georgia since 1851, 13 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 94 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 13
- Tropical storms
- 58
- Tornadoes
- 94
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
12 deaths in all
What the records show for Bainbridge
The strongest storm to pass near Bainbridge was Michael in 2018, a Category 3 hurricane with 116 mph winds when its centre passed 21 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1894, whose centre came within 3 miles. The record near Bainbridge begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a Category 3 hurricane 61 miles away. The 1870s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 8 systems each. Of the 71 systems, 12 have come since 2000. Bainbridge has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 88% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 94 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 22, 2005, came within 21 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on February 13, 2000, killed 7 people. Of the 94, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 40 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on April 7, 2025. Bainbridge has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 65% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 18 times since 1980, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 94% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Bainbridge.
Compare Bainbridge's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Bainbridge
Of the 71 tracks on the map, 32 were moving northeast as they passed Bainbridge, 14 north and 13 northwest. Michael (2018), the strongest pass, was heading northeast; its centre passed 21 miles northwest of Bainbridge. Within 75 miles of Bainbridge, 21 of the 71 came ashore, 7 of them as hurricanes. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 14 came near Bainbridge: 4.7 a decade, against 3.9 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 61 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 11 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 21 mi | Category 3 (116 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2008 | FayAug 23 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1994 | BerylAug 16 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 10 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 20 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | BeckyJul 22 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 11 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 10 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 28 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJun 13 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 2 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 3 | 71 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 7 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 3 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 28 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 38 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 10 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 9 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 53 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 23 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 9 | 45 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 17 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Bainbridge: 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 Bainbridge
By decade
- 2020s9
- 2010s14
- 2000s17(2 EF3+)
- 1990s11
- 1980s3
- 1970s26
- 1960s10(1 EF3+)
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 23 mi | 15 mi | 7 / 15 |
| Mar 22, 2005 | F3 | 21 mi | 18 mi | 1 / 18 |
| Dec 28, 1968 | F3 | 9 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 19, 1995 | F2 | 15 mi | 0.3 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | 6 mi | 168.5 mi | 1 / 33 |
| Jan 30, 1974 | F2 | 15 mi | 3.3 mi | 1 / 4 |
| May 10, 2024 | EF2 | 22 mi | 24.21 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 18 mi | 2.68 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Nov 17, 2014 | EF2 | 23 mi | 22.21 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF2 | 21 mi | 5.94 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 20, 2003 | F2 | 24 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Mar 15, 2001 | F2 | 7 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 13 |
The strongest 12 of 94, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Bainbridge
The Storm Prediction Center has 18 hail reports within 10 miles of Bainbridge since 1980, made on 16 separate days. Of these, 12 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on December 29, 1983. The most recent report is from May 12, 2023. March has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Bainbridge
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Cairo 1SW, GA, 19 miles east of Bainbridge at 201 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 38°F. June is the wettest at 7.1 inches of precipitation on average and May the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 51.0 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (27.5 of 51.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 71 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (24); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 78 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 30 nights a year. That 51.0 inches is more than at 54 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (50%). Brinson, 12 miles northwest, has its own station (Newton 11 SW, GA): 49.7 inches a year, 1.3 less than here, and the same August average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 38 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Feb | 66 | 42 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Apr | 78 | 53 | 3.2 | 5 |
| May | 85 | 62 | 2.6 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 68 | 7.1 | 9 |
| Jul | 90 | 71 | 5.3 | 9 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Sep | 87 | 67 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Oct | 80 | 57 | 3.1 | 4 |
| Nov | 71 | 46 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Dec | 64 | 41 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Year | 78 | 55 | 51.0 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Cairo 1SW, GA (201 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 Bainbridge
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 129 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Bainbridge: 115 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods, 3 heavy rain events, 2 floods and 1 lightning strike. They killed 1 person and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $994,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on January 2, 2017. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 150 have had fewer than Bainbridge.
July 22, 2013: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Bainbridge — 1 killed, 2 injured.
NWS: “Lightning struck Lady Moon Farms, resuling in 1 fatality and 2 injuries.”
April 5, 2009: flood 9 miles from the centre of Bainbridge — $250,000 damage.
July 11, 2005: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Bainbridge — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “Three to four inches of rain in a three-hour period washed out several county roads. Reported by the Decatur County EMA.”
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 Bainbridge's 2 ZIP codes have filed 67 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1983, and were paid $1.5 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1998: 13 claims (19% of all) and $360,000, then Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994 with 11. The year with the most claims was 2009, with 16. 37% 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, 100 have fewer than Bainbridge.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1998 | 13 | $360,000 |
| Tropical Storm Alberto1994 | 11 | $395,000 |
Decatur County, which includes Bainbridge, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Decatur County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes and inland flooding; Relatively Low for hail, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $22.7 million a year, the 36th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.2 million (49%), 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 Bainbridge
- Climax, GA6 mi
- Brinson, GA12 mi
- Whigham, GA13 mi
- Havana, FL18 mi
- Quincy, FL19 mi
- Cairo, GA20 mi
- Chattahoochee, FL20 mi
- Colquitt, GA22 mi
- Donalsonville, GA24 mi
- Midway, FL25 mi
- Sneads, FL26 mi
- Pelham, GA29 mi
All Georgia cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Bainbridge with another place →