NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Florala, 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
60 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Florala, Alabama since 1851, 16 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Fred in 2021. Since 1950, 97 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 16
- Tropical storms
- 44
- Tornadoes
- 97
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Florala
The strongest storm to pass near Florala was an unnamed storm in 1926, a Category 3 hurricane with 121 mph winds when its centre passed 70 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1882, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near Florala begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Fred in 2021, a tropical storm 56 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 7 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 60 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Florala has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 90% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 97 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 15 times; the most recent, on April 19, 2020, came within 20 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on May 26, 1973, killed 1 person. Of the 97, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 36 have come since 2000. October has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on December 10, 2024. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 79% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Florala. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 14 times since 1985, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Of the 323 Alabama cities, 99% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Florala.
Compare Florala's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Florala
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | SallySep 16 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2018 | AlbertoMay 28 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2009 | ClaudetteAug 17 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 23 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | DennisJul 10 | 59 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2005 | ArleneJun 11 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2001 | BarryAug 6 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 22 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 74 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 20 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 26 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 3 | 72 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1994 | BerylAug 16 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1994 | AlbertoJul 3 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | JuanOct 31 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 11 mi | Category 3 (113 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1969 | Unnamed 1969 stormOct 1 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | DebbieSep 8 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 39 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 26 | 28 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1953 | AliceJun 6 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormJul 9 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 13 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJul 31 | 37 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormOct 6 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 69 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 20 | 70 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormJul 4 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 21 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 56 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 18 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 28 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormNov 3 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 14 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 17 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 2 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 3 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 7 | 22 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 19 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 27 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 28 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 30 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 8 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 31 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 16 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 19 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 12 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 60 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 23 | 71 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Florala: 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 Florala
By decade
- 2020s10
- 2010s11
- 2000s15
- 1990s24
- 1980s14
- 1970s15
- 1960s8
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 1973 | F2 | 13 mi | 105.4 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Jan 5, 1962 | F2 | 24 mi | 2.5 mi | 1 / 30 |
| Apr 19, 2020 | EF2 | 20 mi | 1.21 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2011 | EF2 | 18 mi | 22.95 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 17, 2008 | EF2 | 23 mi | 14.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F2 | 11 mi | 15.81 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 28, 1983 | F2 | 24 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Feb 1, 1983 | F2 | 14 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 12, 1980 | F2 | 14 mi | 31.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 31, 1976 | F2 | 23 mi | 3.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1972 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1971 | F2 | 25 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 97, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Florala
The Storm Prediction Center has 14 hail reports within 10 miles of Florala since 1985, made on 13 separate days. Of these, 7 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on May 8, 1985. The most recent report is from May 29, 2010. March and May have the most reports, 6 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Florala
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Crestview Bob Sikes Airport, FL, 21 miles southwest of Florala at 190 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 39°F. July is the wettest at 7.9 inches of precipitation on average and May and October the driest at 4.1 inches; the year adds up to 63.7 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (33.8 of 63.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 60 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 5.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 98 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 39 nights a year. That 63.7 inches is more than at 97 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (91%). Kinston, 16 miles northeast, has its own station (Enterprise 4 W, AL): 58.0 inches a year, 5.7 less than here, and the same July average high, 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 39 | 5.7 | 6 |
| Feb | 67 | 41 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Mar | 73 | 47 | 5.7 | 6 |
| Apr | 79 | 53 | 4.9 | 5 |
| May | 87 | 61 | 4.1 | 5 |
| Jun | 91 | 69 | 6.0 | 8 |
| Jul | 92 | 71 | 7.9 | 11 |
| Aug | 92 | 71 | 6.4 | 10 |
| Sep | 89 | 67 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Oct | 81 | 56 | 4.1 | 4 |
| Nov | 72 | 45 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Dec | 65 | 41 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Year | 79 | 55 | 63.7 | 78 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Crestview Bob Sikes Airport, FL (190 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 Florala
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 73 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Florala: 54 thunderstorm wind reports, 14 floods and 5 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $14.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 72 mph, on July 23, 2002. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 45 have had fewer than Florala.
September 16, 2020: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Florala — $11.0 million damage.
NWS: “Extensive flash flooding occurred throughout Walton county with record flooding recorded along the Shoal River at Mossy Head. Damage cost was estimated.”
April 30, 2014: flood 5 miles from the centre of Florala — $1.8 million damage.
February 25, 2013: flood 5 miles from the centre of Florala — $1.0 million damage.
NWS: “Significant areal flooding occurred across Walton county due to prolonged periods of moderate to heavy rainfall. Four day rainfall totals of 8-12 inches were estimated across the county between Feb 22-26.”
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
Covington County, which includes Florala, has been named in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 15 hurricanes, 13 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 Covington County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes; Relatively Low for inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $33.1 million a year, the 22nd highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $17.5 million (53%), 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 Florala
- Laurel Hill, FL9 mi
- Kinston, AL16 mi
- Opp, AL17 mi
- Samson, AL18 mi
- Andalusia, AL21 mi
- Crestview, FL23 mi
- Baker, FL23 mi
- Defuniak Springs, FL26 mi
- Westville, FL26 mi
- Geneva, AL27 mi
- Chancellor, AL30 mi
- Red Level, AL30 mi
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