NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Ellabell, 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
93 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Ellabell, Georgia since 1851, 16 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 54 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 16
- Tropical storms
- 77
- Tornadoes
- 54
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
10 deaths in all
What the records show for Ellabell
The strongest storm to pass near Ellabell was Gracie in 1959, a Category 4 hurricane with 132 mph winds when its centre passed 56 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1854, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Ellabell begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 23 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 9 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 93 systems, 15 have come since 2000. Ellabell has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 92% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The strongest of the 54 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on April 5, 2022; its path passed within a mile of the city centre, and it killed 1 person. The deadliest, an F2 on April 9, 1998, killed 4 people. Of the 54, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 23 have come since 2000. April and May have had the most tornadoes, 11 each. The most recent tornado was on July 10, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 84% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Ellabell. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 61 times since 1980, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Ellabell has more hail reports within 10 miles than 53% of the 405 Georgia cities.
Compare Ellabell's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Ellabell
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 1 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | DannyJun 28 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 58 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 21 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 14 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | overhead | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 56 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 52 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 28 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 6 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 48 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 15 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 71 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 14 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 15 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 46 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 17 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 63 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 25 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 60 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 52 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 19 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 14 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 6 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Ellabell: 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 Ellabell
By decade
- 2020s7(1 EF3+)
- 2010s6
- 2000s10
- 1990s5(1 EF3+)
- 1980s6
- 1970s10
- 1960s7
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 5, 2022 | EF4 | in town | 14.39 mi | 1 / 12 |
| Apr 9, 1998 | F3 | 1 mi | 8 mi | 2 / 17 |
| Apr 9, 1998 | F2 | 19 mi | 24.5 mi | 4 / 31 |
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | 22 mi | 9.4 mi | 2 / 7 |
| Feb 9, 2017 | EF2 | 10 mi | 9.81 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Oct 27, 2009 | EF2 | 17 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 20 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 18 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 5 |
| May 3, 1984 | F2 | 25 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 30 |
| May 3, 1975 | F2 | 25 mi | 5.4 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 27, 1972 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | F2 | 22 mi | 217.8 mi | 0 / 30 |
The strongest 12 of 54, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Ellabell
The Storm Prediction Center has 61 hail reports within 10 miles of Ellabell since 1980, made on 43 separate days. Of these, 33 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently April 5, 2022. The most recent report is from May 8, 2025. June has the most reports, 17.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Ellabell
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Savannah International Airport, GA, 16 miles east of Ellabell at 46 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 61°F and 40°F. June is the wettest at 6.7 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 48.3 inches over 70 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 59% of the year's precipitation (28.5 of 48.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 93 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (29); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 81 days a year, almost all from April to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 22 nights a year. That 48.3 inches is more than at 26 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (24%). Pembroke, 9 miles west, has its own station (Brooklet 1 W, GA): 47.1 inches a year, 1.2 less than here, and a July average high of 93°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61 | 40 | 3.3 | 6 |
| Feb | 65 | 43 | 2.8 | 5 |
| Mar | 71 | 49 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Apr | 78 | 55 | 3.4 | 4 |
| May | 85 | 63 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 6.7 | 9 |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 5.8 | 9 |
| Aug | 91 | 73 | 5.5 | 8 |
| Sep | 86 | 69 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Oct | 79 | 59 | 3.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 70 | 48 | 2.4 | 4 |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Year | 78 | 57 | 48.3 | 70 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Savannah International Airport, GA (46 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 Ellabell
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 149 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Ellabell: 139 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 2 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $154,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on April 25, 2015.
June 27, 2010: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Ellabell — 1 killed.
August 19, 2013: heavy rain event 8 miles from the centre of Ellabell — 2 injured.
August 15, 2023: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Ellabell — 1 injured, $8,500 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
Bryan County, which includes Ellabell, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 9 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 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 Bryan County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes; Relatively Moderate for coastal flooding; Relatively Low for tornadoes, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $33.0 million a year, the 24th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $21.2 million (64%), 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 Ellabell
- Pembroke, GA9 mi
- Bloomingdale, GA9 mi
- Guyton, GA11 mi
- Brooklet, GA14 mi
- Pooler, GA15 mi
- Rincon, GA17 mi
- Springfield, GA18 mi
- Port Wentworth, GA18 mi
- Garden City, GA19 mi
- Richmond Hill, GA21 mi
- Fort Stewart, GA21 mi
- Savannah, GA24 mi
All Georgia cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Ellabell with another place →