NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Collins, 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 Collins, Georgia since 1851, 9 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 41 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 9
- Tropical storms
- 69
- Tornadoes
- 41
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Collins
The strongest storm to pass near Collins was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 2 hurricane with 104 mph winds when its centre passed 53 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1894, whose centre came within 3 miles. The record near Collins begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 63 miles away. The 1880s and the 1940s were the busiest decades, with 8 systems each. Of the 78 systems, 11 have come since 2000. Collins has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 79% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 41 tornadoes within 25 miles is EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 11, 2008, came within 22 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on May 12, 1974, killed 2 people. Of the 41, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 14 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on May 9, 2024. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 96% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Collins. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 36 times since 1982, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 70% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Collins.
Compare Collins's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Collins
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 63 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | overhead | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 57 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 14 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | overhead | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 33 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 6 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 30 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 15 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 50 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 46 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 3 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 53 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 18 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 41 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Collins: 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 Collins
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s2
- 2000s9(2 EF3+)
- 1990s7
- 1980s4
- 1970s11
- 1960s2
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | 7 mi | 7.32 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | 22 mi | 7.66 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | 21 mi | 9.4 mi | 2 / 7 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 16 mi | 1.15 mi | 0 / 3 |
| May 3, 1984 | F2 | 18 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 30 |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | 13 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 23, 1971 | F2 | 15 mi | 5.6 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jan 15, 1971 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 15, 1971 | F2 | 3 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1968 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 1961 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 9, 2024 | EF1 | 12 mi | 14.66 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 41, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Collins
The Storm Prediction Center has 36 hail reports within 10 miles of Collins since 1982, made on 28 separate days. Of these, 21 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on May 25, 2014. The most recent report is from March 3, 2019. March has the most reports, 10.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Collins
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Metter, GA, 15 miles north of Collins at 120 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 60°F and 39°F. July is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.7 inches; the year adds up to 47.2 inches over 65 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (24.5 of 47.2 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 78 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (24); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 3.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 82 days a year, almost all from April to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 24 nights a year. That 47.2 inches is more than at 15 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (14%). Reidsville, 9 miles south, has its own station (Glennville 3NW, GA): 49.9 inches a year, 2.7 more than here, and the same July average high, 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 39 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Feb | 65 | 42 | 3.8 | 5 |
| Mar | 71 | 48 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Apr | 78 | 54 | 2.8 | 5 |
| May | 86 | 63 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Jun | 91 | 70 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Jul | 92 | 73 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Aug | 91 | 73 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Sep | 86 | 68 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Oct | 78 | 57 | 2.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 69 | 47 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Dec | 63 | 41 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Year | 78 | 56 | 47.2 | 65 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Metter, GA (120 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 Collins
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 124 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Collins: 111 thunderstorm wind reports, 10 flash floods, 2 lightning strikes and 1 flood. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $763,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on January 9, 2024. August has had the most flash floods, 3 of 10. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 189 have had fewer than Collins.
August 12, 2009: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Collins — 1 injured.
February 28, 2009: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Collins — $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
Tattnall County, which includes Collins, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 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 Tattnall County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes; Relatively Moderate for lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.0 million a year, the 41st highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $12.1 million (60%), 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 Collins
- Reidsville, GA9 mi
- Lyons, GA12 mi
- Claxton, GA12 mi
- Metter, GA16 mi
- Vidalia, GA18 mi
- Glennville, GA19 mi
- Uvalda, GA25 mi
- Twin City, GA25 mi
- Statesboro, GA26 mi
- Pembroke, GA27 mi
- Portal, GA28 mi
- Mount Vernon, GA28 mi
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