NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Boston, 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
78 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Boston, Georgia since 1851, 13 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 70 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 13
- Tropical storms
- 65
- Tornadoes
- 70
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
20 deaths in all
What the records show for Boston
The strongest storm to pass near Boston was Helene in 2024, a Category 3 hurricane with 112 mph winds when its centre passed 17 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1886, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Boston begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The 1870s and the 1880s were the busiest decades, with 8 systems each. Of the 78 systems, 17 have come since 2000. Boston has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 88% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 70 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on March 3, 2019, came within 22 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on January 22, 2017, killed 11 people. Of the 70, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 37 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on April 7, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 66% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Boston. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 16 times since 1995, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 96% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Boston.
Compare Boston's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Boston
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 17 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 42 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 11 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 62 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 22 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2000 | GordonSep 18 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 24 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | Unnamed 1971 stormAug 16 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 11 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | LoveOct 21 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 53 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 33 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 38 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 26 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 6 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 7 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 56 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 6 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 52 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Boston: 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 Boston
By decade
- 2020s17
- 2010s7(2 EF3+)
- 2000s13(2 EF3+)
- 1990s5
- 1980s9
- 1970s12
- 1960s5
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | 19 mi | 24.66 mi | 11 / 45 |
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 24 mi | 15 mi | 7 / 15 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF3 | 22 mi | 8.83 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 19, 2009 | EF3 | 3 mi | 1.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 22 mi | 10 mi | 2 / 12 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 25 mi | 2.68 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF2 | 12 mi | 18.67 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF2 | 7 mi | 10.44 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF2 | 18 mi | 5.94 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 11, 1979 | F2 | in town | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 1971 | F2 | 24 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 29, 1971 | F2 | 7 mi | 11 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 70, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Boston
The Storm Prediction Center has 16 hail reports within 10 miles of Boston since 1995, made on 11 separate days. Of these, 11 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on November 9, 2025, the most recent report. March has the most reports, 5.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Boston
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Monticello 5 SE, FL, 20 miles south of Boston at 98 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 40°F. June is the wettest at 7.6 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 59.9 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 57% of the year's precipitation (34.2 of 59.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 78 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (25); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 5.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 78 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 26 nights a year. That 59.9 inches is more than at 102 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (94%). Thomasville, 11 miles west, has its own station (Cairo 1SW, GA): 51.0 inches a year, 8.9 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 40 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Feb | 67 | 43 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Mar | 73 | 48 | 5.3 | 7 |
| Apr | 79 | 54 | 4.1 | 4 |
| May | 86 | 61 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Jun | 90 | 69 | 7.6 | 9 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 7.5 | 11 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 7.5 | 10 |
| Sep | 87 | 67 | 5.5 | 6 |
| Oct | 80 | 57 | 3.3 | 3 |
| Nov | 71 | 48 | 2.8 | 4 |
| Dec | 65 | 42 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Year | 79 | 56 | 59.9 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Monticello 5 SE, FL (98 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 Boston
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 93 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Boston: 76 thunderstorm wind reports, 9 flash floods, 7 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on March 12, 2026. April has had the most flash floods, 6 of 9. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 172 have had fewer than Boston.
August 23, 2008: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Boston — $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “Many roads and low lying areas were flooded, including Thomasville and surrounding areas. S.”
June 22, 2000: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Boston — $500,000 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
Thomas County, which includes Boston, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 4 tropical storms, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Thomas County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.2 million a year, the 40th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $8.7 million (43%), 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 Boston
- Thomasville, GA11 mi
- Pavo, GA13 mi
- Quitman, GA14 mi
- Coolidge, GA17 mi
- Monticello, FL18 mi
- Ochlocknee, GA21 mi
- Greenville, FL25 mi
- Cairo, GA26 mi
- Moultrie, GA26 mi
- Meigs, GA26 mi
- Hahira, GA29 mi
- Valdosta, GA31 mi
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