NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Clayton, 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
35 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Clayton, Alabama since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Fred in 2021. Since 1950, 94 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 6
- Tropical storms
- 29
- Tornadoes
- 94
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Clayton
The strongest storm to pass near Clayton was Michael in 2018, a Category 2 hurricane with 97 mph winds when its centre passed 59 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1882, whose centre came within 11 miles. The record near Clayton begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Fred in 2021, a tropical storm 3 miles away. The 1880s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 5 systems each. Of the 35 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Clayton has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 77% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 94 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on November 25, 1986, came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on November 5, 2002, killed 1 person. Of the 94, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 71 have come since 2000. April and November have had the most tornadoes, 17 each. The most recent tornado was on April 6, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 82% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Clayton. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 27 times since 1967, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 323 Alabama cities, 86% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Clayton.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Clayton
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 59 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 65 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 31 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 14 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 2 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 20 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 11 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 63 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 68 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Clayton: 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 Clayton
By decade
- 2020s16
- 2010s27
- 2000s28
- 1990s5
- 1980s7(1 EF3+)
- 1970s5(4 EF3+)
- 1960s4
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25, 1986 | F3 | 2 mi | 44 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Dec 19, 1974 | F3 | 19 mi | 11.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 13, 1972 | F3 | 6 mi | 16.8 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 3, 1971 | F3 | 24 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 1971 | F3 | 11 mi | 23.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 5, 2002 | F2 | 20 mi | 6 mi | 1 / 20 |
| Dec 5, 1954 | F2 | 7 mi | 71.5 mi | 1 / 35 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF2 | 19 mi | 21.31 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Mar 31, 2020 | EF2 | 10 mi | 29.97 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 18 mi | 30.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 10 mi | 6.68 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 2017 | EF2 | 16 mi | 10.36 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 94, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Clayton
The Storm Prediction Center has 27 hail reports within 10 miles of Clayton since 1967, made on 25 separate days. Of these, 15 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on April 5, 2017. The most recent report is from June 13, 2023. April has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Clayton
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Clayton, AL, 2 miles northwest of Clayton at 569 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 58°F and 37°F. July is the wettest at 6.0 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 55.5 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 47% of the year's precipitation (26.2 of 55.5 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 35 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (15); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 3.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 73 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 44 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.5 inches a year, most of it in December. That 55.5 inches is more than at 27 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (25%). Eufaula, 15 miles east, has its own station (Eufaula Wildlife Ref, AL): 54.0 inches a year, 1.5 less than here, and a July average high of 95°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 37 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.2 |
| Feb | 63 | 40 | 5.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 70 | 46 | 5.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 77 | 52 | 5.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 84 | 61 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 89 | 69 | 4.9 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 6.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 86 | 66 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 78 | 55 | 3.3 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 68 | 45 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 60 | 40 | 5.6 | 6 | 0.3 |
| Year | 76 | 54 | 55.5 | 72 | 0.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Clayton, AL (569 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 Clayton
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 29 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Clayton: 29 thunderstorm wind reports. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $61,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on March 12, 2026.
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
Barbour County, which includes Clayton, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 severe storms, 11 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on January 15, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Barbour County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $8.9 million a year, the 51st highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.0 million (44%), 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 Clayton
- Midway, AL12 mi
- Clio, AL13 mi
- Eufaula, AL15 mi
- Abbeville, AL21 mi
- Georgetown, GA23 mi
- Ariton, AL23 mi
- Brundidge, AL26 mi
- Union Springs, AL26 mi
- Ozark, AL30 mi
- Troy, AL30 mi
- Headland, AL33 mi
- Midland City, AL36 mi
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