NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Cedartown, 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
13 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Cedartown, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 83 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 14 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 13
- Tornadoes
- 83
- EF3 or stronger
- 14
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
60 deaths in all
What the records show for Cedartown
None of the 13 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Cedartown; the strongest was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 12 miles away. The record near Cedartown begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 13 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 78% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Cedartown. The highest rating among the 83 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 6 miles. Of the 83, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 30 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 23. The most recent tornado was on March 15, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 51% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Cedartown. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 96 times since 1957, with stones up to 4.5 inches (grapefruit size). Cedartown has more hail reports within 10 miles than 78% of the 405 Georgia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Cedartown
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 5 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Cedartown: 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 Cedartown
By decade
- 2020s6(1 EF3+)
- 2010s12(3 EF3+)
- 2000s12(1 EF3+)
- 1990s14(5 EF3+)
- 1980s10
- 1970s12(2 EF3+)
- 1960s13(1 EF3+)
- 1950s4(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 6 mi | 97.33 mi | 22 / 85 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F4 | 9 mi | 50 mi | 22 / 150 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F4 | 15 mi | 49 mi | 3 / 20 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF3 | 16 mi | 38.17 mi | 6 / 10 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF3 | 10 mi | 16.93 mi | 2 / 2 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F3 | in town | 9 mi | 1 / 35 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F3 | 12 mi | 8.8 mi | 1 / 15 |
| Mar 19, 2018 | EF3 | 17 mi | 35.22 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF3 | 9 mi | 29.02 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 6 mi | 21 mi | 0 / 30 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F3 | 10 mi | 19 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 19 mi | 20.9 mi | 0 / 9 |
The strongest 12 of 83, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Cedartown
The Storm Prediction Center has 96 hail reports within 10 miles of Cedartown since 1957, made on 67 separate days. Of these, 55 were 1 inch across or larger, and 10 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4.5 inches (grapefruit size), fell on March 27, 1994. The most recent report is from April 10, 2025. March has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Cedartown
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Cedartown, GA, 4 miles north of Cedartown at 785 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 53°F and 32°F. March is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and August and October the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 52.8 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 46% of the year's precipitation (24.1 of 52.8 inches); the other six months are wetter. October has brought the most of the 13 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal October there has highs of 75°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 59 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 69 nights a year. That 52.8 inches is more than at 74 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (69%). Silver Creek, 11 miles northeast, has its own station (Rome, GA): 55.2 inches a year, 2.4 more than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53 | 32 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Feb | 58 | 35 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Mar | 66 | 42 | 5.3 | 8 |
| Apr | 75 | 49 | 4.4 | 7 |
| May | 82 | 58 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Jun | 88 | 67 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Aug | 91 | 69 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Sep | 85 | 63 | 3.7 | 4 |
| Oct | 75 | 50 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Nov | 64 | 39 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Dec | 56 | 35 | 5.0 | 8 |
| Year | 74 | 51 | 52.8 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Cedartown, GA (785 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 Cedartown
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 171 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Cedartown: 144 thunderstorm wind reports, 19 flash floods, 5 lightning strikes and 3 floods. They killed 1 person and injured 3, and the NWS estimated $7.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 105 mph, on March 25, 2021. August has had the most flash floods, 10 of 19. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 302 have had fewer than Cedartown.
March 18, 2013: thunderstorm wind in Cedartown — 1 killed, 1 injured, $15,000 damage.
NWS: “The Polk County 911 Center relayed numerous reports of trees blown down or snapped with multiple power outages in the Cedartown area. One tree fell on a car, injuring both occupants, one fatally.”
April 25, 2003: thunderstorm wind in Cedartown — 2 injured, $100,000 damage.
NWS: “The Dade county Emergency Management Director reported that a microburst or downburst caused considerable damage to three structures on the west side of Trenton, as well as blowing down a number of trees and power lines in the area.”
April 9, 2019: flash flood 2 miles from the centre of Cedartown — $5.0 million damage.
NWS: “Polk County Police Department posted video footage to social media of flash flooding over a roadway at the entrance to Cedartown High School. The flooding resulted from two to three inches of rain that quickly fell over the area, overwhelming a small creek and drainage systems in the area.”
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 Cedartown's ZIP code 30125 have filed 116 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $576,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 1979, with 59. 6% 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, 122 have fewer than Cedartown.
Polk County, which includes Cedartown, has been named in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 8 of them major disasters (by incident: 4 hurricanes, 3 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 Polk County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.3 million a year, the 51st highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $7.2 million (47%), 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 Cedartown
- Cave Spring, GA9 mi
- Aragon, GA11 mi
- Silver Creek, GA11 mi
- Rockmart, GA12 mi
- Buchanan, GA12 mi
- Lindale, GA12 mi
- Taylorsville, GA18 mi
- Tallapoosa, GA18 mi
- Rome, GA18 mi
- Bremen, GA21 mi
- Piedmont, AL21 mi
- Temple, GA22 mi
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