NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Baxley, 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
84 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Baxley, Georgia since 1851, 9 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 61 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 9
- Tropical storms
- 75
- Tornadoes
- 61
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Baxley
The strongest storm to pass near Baxley was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 2 hurricane with 107 mph winds when its centre passed 71 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1947, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Baxley begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 52 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 10 systems. Of the 84 systems, 12 have come since 2000. Baxley has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 79% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 61 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 11 times; the most recent, on December 2, 2009, came within 17 miles. Of the 61, 9 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 31 have come since 2000. The most recent tornado was on January 9, 2024. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 77% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Baxley. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 42 times since 1980, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 61% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Baxley.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Baxley
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 52 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 69 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 32 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 6 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 6 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 30 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 15 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 18 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 45 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 15 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 71 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 64 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Baxley: 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 Baxley
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s8
- 2000s17
- 1990s7
- 1980s6
- 1970s5
- 1960s9
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2009 | EF2 | 17 mi | 5.13 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 26, 1997 | F2 | 14 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | F2 | 22 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 15, 1971 | F2 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | F2 | 13 mi | 217.8 mi | 0 / 30 |
| Feb 28, 1966 | F2 | 20 mi | 0.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 20, 1963 | F2 | 20 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 6, 1962 | F2 | 8 mi | 5.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 12, 1961 | F2 | 19 mi | 20.6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 3, 1961 | F2 | 4 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 29, 1957 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 7.28 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 61, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Baxley
The Storm Prediction Center has 42 hail reports within 10 miles of Baxley since 1980, made on 30 separate days. Of these, 19 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 7 days, most recently August 4, 2020. The most recent report is from May 8, 2025. May has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Baxley
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Surrency, GA, 10 miles southeast of Baxley at 200 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 39°F. August is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 45.7 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (25.2 of 45.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 84 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (26); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 77 days a year, almost all from April to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 36 nights a year. That 45.7 inches is more than at 5 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (5%). Hazlehurst, 15 miles west, has its own station (Hazlehurst, GA): 51.1 inches a year, 5.4 more than here, and the same July average high, 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 39 | 3.6 | 7 |
| Feb | 67 | 40 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Mar | 73 | 46 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Apr | 80 | 52 | 2.6 | 5 |
| May | 86 | 59 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Jun | 91 | 68 | 5.3 | 9 |
| Jul | 92 | 70 | 5.0 | 8 |
| Aug | 90 | 69 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Sep | 88 | 65 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Oct | 81 | 55 | 2.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 71 | 45 | 2.3 | 3 |
| Dec | 66 | 40 | 3.8 | 5 |
| Year | 79 | 54 | 45.7 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Surrency, GA (200 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 Baxley
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 144 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Baxley: 122 thunderstorm wind reports, 15 heavy rain events, 5 floods, 1 flash flood and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $343,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on March 6, 1996.
September 29, 1998: thunderstorm wind in Baxley — 1 injured, $65,000 damage.
NWS: “Mobile homes were blown off their foundations and siding was ripped from the sides of industrial buildings. Twelve mobile homes were damaged, and one with major damage, because a tree fell on it.”
March 8, 1998: thunderstorm wind in Baxley — 1 injured, $55,000 damage.
NWS: “Three mobile homes destroyed.”
December 24, 2002: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Baxley — 1 injured, $50,000 damage.
NWS: “Numerous large trees down in town of Baxley. Mobile home on State Road 15 4 miles south of Baxley flipped with one injured.”
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 Baxley's ZIP code 31513 have filed 26 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1998, and were paid $540,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 31% 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, 57 have fewer than Baxley.
Appling County, which includes Baxley, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Appling County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes; Relatively Low for tornadoes, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $12.5 million a year, the 61st highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $6.8 million (54%), is from hurricanes.
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 Baxley
- Hazlehurst, GA15 mi
- Alma, GA16 mi
- Odum, GA19 mi
- Uvalda, GA20 mi
- Reidsville, GA24 mi
- Nicholls, GA25 mi
- Screven, GA25 mi
- Glennville, GA27 mi
- Lyons, GA28 mi
- Jesup, GA29 mi
- Patterson, GA31 mi
- Vidalia, GA31 mi
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