NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Dawson, 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
48 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Dawson, Georgia since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 78 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 6
- Tropical storms
- 42
- Tornadoes
- 78
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
11 deaths in all
What the records show for Dawson
The strongest storm to pass near Dawson was an unnamed storm in 1894, a Category 1 hurricane with 90 mph winds when its centre passed 52 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Michael in 2018, whose centre came within 9 miles. The record near Dawson begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 70 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems. Of the 48 systems, 7 have come since 2000. Dawson has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 72% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 78 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on January 22, 2017, came within 22 miles. Of the 78, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 35 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on January 9, 2024. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Dawson. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 17 times since 1987, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 95% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Dawson.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Dawson
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 70 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 9 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 7 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 51 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 52 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 21 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 22 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Dawson: 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 Dawson
By decade
- 2020s8
- 2010s18(1 EF3+)
- 2000s9(1 EF3+)
- 1990s10
- 1980s4
- 1970s10(1 EF3+)
- 1960s8
- 1950s11
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | 22 mi | 70.4 mi | 5 / 88 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF3 | 13 mi | 40.14 mi | 2 / 11 |
| Apr 23, 1971 | F3 | 9 mi | 13.9 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 30, 1993 | F2 | 17 mi | 5 mi | 3 / 27 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF2 | 11 mi | 21.73 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 2020 | EF2 | 20 mi | 29.97 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 18 mi | 30.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 2017 | EF2 | 16 mi | 16.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF2 | 17 mi | 12.03 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 7, 2016 | EF2 | 18 mi | 15.8 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Dec 16, 2000 | F2 | 23 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 16, 2000 | F2 | 14 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 78, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Dawson
The Storm Prediction Center has 17 hail reports within 10 miles of Dawson since 1987, made on 14 separate days. Of these, 10 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on June 12, 2007. The most recent report is from April 26, 2023. April has the most reports, 5.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Dawson
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Plains SW Ga Exp Stn, GA, 20 miles north of Dawson at 500 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 58°F and 36°F. December is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.7 inches; the year adds up to 50.8 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 48% of the year's precipitation (24.3 of 50.8 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 48 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 4.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 72 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 42 nights a year. That 50.8 inches is more than at 51 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (47%). Leesburg, 16 miles east, has its own station (Albany SW Ga Regional Airport, GA): 46.7 inches a year, 4.1 less than here, and a July average high of 93°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 36 | 4.6 | 7 |
| Feb | 62 | 39 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Mar | 69 | 45 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Apr | 76 | 51 | 4.1 | 5 |
| May | 83 | 60 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Jun | 89 | 68 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Jul | 90 | 71 | 5.0 | 8 |
| Aug | 89 | 70 | 4.7 | 8 |
| Sep | 85 | 65 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Oct | 77 | 54 | 2.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 68 | 44 | 3.3 | 5 |
| Dec | 61 | 39 | 5.3 | 6 |
| Year | 76 | 53 | 50.8 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Plains SW Ga Exp Stn, GA (500 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 Dawson
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 99 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Dawson: 89 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods and 2 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on February 12, 2019. June has had the most flash floods, 3 of 8. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 150 have had fewer than Dawson.
July 11, 2005: flash flood in Dawson — $300,000 damage.
NWS: “Torrential rains of three to five inches in less than three hours flooded many county roads. Reported by the Terrell County EMA.”
December 24, 2015: flood 8 miles from the centre of Dawson — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “Significant flooding occurred within the Kinchafoonee Creek basin as well as the lower portions of the Muckalee Creek basin. The Kinchafoonee crested at its 3rd highest stage on record, causing significant damage to homes in the area, especially along Century Road.”
June 5, 1998: thunderstorm wind in Dawson — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Numerous reports of trees and power lines. An estimated 10 to 15 acres of corn were damaged, and four greenhouses and a mobile home were destroyed in Terrell County.”
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
Terrell County, which includes Dawson, has been named in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1994, 5 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tropical storms, 1 severe storm). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 29, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Terrell County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and lightning; Very Low for inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $4.7 million a year, the 120th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $1.2 million (25%), 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 Dawson
- Leesburg, GA16 mi
- Morgan, GA18 mi
- Cuthbert, GA18 mi
- Albany, GA21 mi
- Americus, GA25 mi
- Richland, GA27 mi
- Lumpkin, GA29 mi
- Baconton, GA33 mi
- Ellaville, GA34 mi
- Georgetown, GA36 mi
- Sylvester, GA37 mi
- Buena Vista, GA39 mi
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