NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Cross City, FL
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
84 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Cross City, Florida since 1851, 21 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 23 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 21
- Tropical storms
- 63
- Tornadoes
- 23
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Cross City
The strongest storm to pass near Cross City was Helene in 2024, a Category 4 hurricane with 138 mph winds when its centre passed 42 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1882, whose centre came within 5 miles. The record near Cross City begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 11 systems, 5 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 84 systems, 17 have come since 2000. Of the 407 Florida cities on this site, 66% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Cross City. The highest rating among the 23 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2, reached 4 times; the most recent, on March 12, 1993, came within 17 miles. Of the 23, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 6 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 6. The most recent tornado was on April 23, 2020. Of the 407 Florida cities, 100% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Cross City. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 11 times since 1983, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 407 Florida cities, 89% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Cross City.
Compare Cross City's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Cross City
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 42 mi | Category 4 (138 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 23 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 34 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 10 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 67 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 6 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | DebbyJun 26 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 22 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2000 | GordonSep 18 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | ErinAug 2 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 1 | 71 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 28 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | Unnamed 1971 stormAug 16 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 67 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1966 | Unnamed 1966 stormJul 1 | overhead | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 9 | 73 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 10 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | Unnamed 1953 stormSep 20 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | LoveOct 21 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1950 | EasySep 5 | 41 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 27 | 16 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 24 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 20 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 12 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 4 | 17 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 69 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 9 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 30 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 15 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 14 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 2 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 13 mi | Category 3 (116 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 15 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormJun 17 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 23 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 19 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 55 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 11 | overhead | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 5 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 8 | 54 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 30 | 43 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 27 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 10 | 70 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 26 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 32 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 66 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 6 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 18 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 6 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 9 | 73 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Cross City: 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 Cross City
By decade
- 2020s1
- 2010s2
- 2000s3
- 1990s7
- 1980s4
- 1970s6
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 12, 1993 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 3 / 10 |
| Apr 23, 1983 | F2 | 14 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Aug 25, 1970 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 3, 1970 | F2 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 1982 | F1 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 1982 | F1 | 7 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 18, 1975 | F1 | 15 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 23, 2020 | EF0 | 21 mi | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 1, 2016 | EF0 | 25 mi | 0.01 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 1, 2016 | EF0 | 22 mi | 0.01 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 23, 2005 | F0 | 24 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F0 | 17 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 23, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Cross City
The Storm Prediction Center has 11 hail reports within 10 miles of Cross City since 1983, made on 10 separate days. Of these, 6 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on June 5, 1988. The most recent report is from March 27, 2019. March has the most reports, 3.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Cross City
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Cross City 1 E, FL, in Cross City at 42 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 66°F and 40°F. August is the wettest at 9.4 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 1.8 inches; the year adds up to 57.9 inches over 84 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 62% of the year's precipitation (35.7 of 57.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 84 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (28); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 6.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 81 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 24 nights a year. That 57.9 inches is more than at 89 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (71%). Bell, 17 miles northeast, has its own station (Bell 4NW, FL): 54.5 inches a year, 3.4 less than here, and an August average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66 | 40 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Feb | 70 | 43 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Mar | 75 | 48 | 4.5 | 5 |
| Apr | 80 | 53 | 3.3 | 4 |
| May | 87 | 61 | 3.0 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 69 | 7.2 | 11 |
| Jul | 91 | 72 | 8.4 | 13 |
| Aug | 91 | 72 | 9.4 | 14 |
| Sep | 88 | 69 | 6.2 | 9 |
| Oct | 82 | 59 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Nov | 74 | 48 | 1.8 | 3 |
| Dec | 69 | 43 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Year | 80 | 56 | 57.9 | 84 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Cross City 1 E, FL (42 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 Cross City
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 69 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Cross City: 58 thunderstorm wind reports, 5 flash floods, 2 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on April 5, 2011. August has had the most flash floods, 3 of 5. Of the 277 Florida cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 143 have had fewer than Cross City.
September 26, 2010: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Cross City — $300,000 damage.
NWS: “The Dixie County Times newspaper reported that lightning struck a home off Camp Street in Cross City, which resulted in a fire that destroyed the home, motorcycle, RV, and car. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate.”
March 29, 2001: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Cross City — $275,000 damage.
NWS: “Thunderstorm winds lifted a roof off a shopping center at State Road 55 and County Road 349 in Old Town. Trees and power lines down with scattered power outages and debris littered over numerous county roads near Jena, Cross City and Horseshoe Beach.”
September 26, 2010: lightning strike in Cross City — $225,000 damage.
NWS: “The Dixie County Times newspaper reported that lightning struck a single wide mobile home, which resulted in a fire that destroyed the home, van, boat, motor home, and two sheds. Two cats were also killed in the fire.”
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 Cross City's ZIP code 32628 have filed 16 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1980, and were paid $180,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 31% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 340 Florida cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 17 have fewer than Cross City.
Dixie County, which includes Cross City, has been named in 45 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 22 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 6 tropical storms, 3 fires). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton, on October 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Dixie County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, coastal flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes; Very Low for hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $9.4 million a year, the 59th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.2 million (45%), 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).
Cross City in the notable storm records: Hurricane Helene (2024)
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Cross City
- Old Town, FL8 mi
- Bell, FL17 mi
- Trenton, FL17 mi
- Chiefland, FL19 mi
- Branford, FL24 mi
- O Brien, FL30 mi
- Newberry, FL31 mi
- Fort White, FL31 mi
- Mayo, FL32 mi
- Bronson, FL33 mi
- High Springs, FL33 mi
- Archer, FL35 mi
All Florida cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Cross City with another place →