NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Cowarts, 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
54 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Cowarts, Alabama since 1851, 10 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Fred in 2021. Since 1950, 166 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 10
- Tropical storms
- 44
- Tornadoes
- 166
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
4 deaths in all
What the records show for Cowarts
The strongest storm to pass near Cowarts was Michael in 2018, a Category 3 hurricane with 117 mph winds when its centre passed 30 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1896, whose centre came within 18 miles. The record near Cowarts begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Fred in 2021, a tropical storm 6 miles away. The 1880s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 6 systems each. Of the 54 systems, 7 have come since 2000. Cowarts has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 83% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 166 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on March 22, 2005, came within 25 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on January 9, 2024, killed 1 person. Of the 166, 17 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 94 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 31. The most recent tornado was on May 10, 2025. Cowarts has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 79% of the 323 Alabama cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 62 times since 1970, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Cowarts has more hail reports within 10 miles than 55% of the 323 Alabama cities.
Compare Cowarts's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Cowarts
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 30 mi | Category 3 (117 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | AlbertoMay 28 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2008 | FayAug 23 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 7 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1994 | BerylAug 16 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1994 | AlbertoJul 3 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 58 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 47 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 20 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | DebbieSep 8 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1953 | AliceJun 6 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 61 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 28 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 14 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 17 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 2 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 3 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 7 | 18 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 49 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 20 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 27 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 27 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 57 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 26 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 33 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Cowarts: 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 Cowarts
By decade
- 2020s36
- 2010s33
- 2000s25(1 EF3+)
- 1990s19
- 1980s19
- 1970s17(1 EF3+)
- 1960s5
- 1950s12
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2005 | F3 | 25 mi | 18 mi | 1 / 18 |
| Dec 29, 1973 | F3 | 11 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF2 | 8 mi | 34.76 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Apr 19, 2020 | EF2 | 14 mi | 5.18 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 25, 1972 | F2 | 24 mi | 0.5 mi | 1 / 2 |
| May 10, 2025 | EF2 | 22 mi | 15.48 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF2 | 23 mi | 16.33 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Jun 14, 2023 | EF2 | 24 mi | 18.88 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 2017 | EF2 | 24 mi | 10.87 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 2017 | EF2 | 18 mi | 4.34 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 2017 | EF2 | 6 mi | 7.82 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 22, 2005 | F2 | 11 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 4 |
The strongest 12 of 166, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Cowarts
The Storm Prediction Center has 62 hail reports within 10 miles of Cowarts since 1970, made on 46 separate days. Of these, 38 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on January 9, 2024. The most recent report is from June 9, 2025. March has the most reports, 17.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Cowarts
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Headland, AL, 11 miles north of Cowarts at 370 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 61°F and 38°F. July is the wettest at 6.7 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 56.9 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (28.7 of 56.9 inches). September has brought the most of the 54 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (19); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 4.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 90 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 33 nights a year. That 56.9 inches is more than at 46 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (43%). Dothan, 7 miles west, has its own station (Dothan Regional Airport, AL): 54.0 inches a year, 2.9 less than here, and the same July average high, 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61 | 38 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Feb | 65 | 41 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Apr | 79 | 54 | 4.6 | 5 |
| May | 87 | 63 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Jun | 91 | 69 | 5.2 | 8 |
| Jul | 93 | 72 | 6.7 | 10 |
| Aug | 92 | 71 | 5.1 | 8 |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 4.6 | 5 |
| Oct | 80 | 56 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Nov | 70 | 47 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Dec | 63 | 41 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Year | 78 | 55 | 56.9 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Headland, AL (370 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 Cowarts
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 367 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Cowarts: 301 thunderstorm wind reports, 52 flash floods, 5 floods, 5 lightning strikes and 4 heavy rain events. They killed 1 person and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $4.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on June 7, 2013. February has had the most flash floods, 28 of 52. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 288 have had fewer than Cowarts.
July 26, 2017: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Cowarts — 1 killed.
April 25, 2015: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Cowarts — 3 injured, $2.2 million damage.
April 4, 2011: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Cowarts — 2 injured, $100,000 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
Houston County, which includes Cowarts, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 hurricanes, 11 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Sally, on September 20, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Houston County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes, tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $55.2 million a year, the 9th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $23.4 million (42%), 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 Cowarts
- Ashford, AL4 mi
- Dothan, AL7 mi
- Cottonwood, AL10 mi
- Columbia, AL12 mi
- Headland, AL12 mi
- Midland City, AL14 mi
- Slocomb, AL16 mi
- Malone, FL18 mi
- Newton, AL19 mi
- Graceville, FL23 mi
- Blakely, GA23 mi
- Hartford, AL25 mi
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