NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Franklin, 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
19 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Franklin, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 92 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 6 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 19
- Tornadoes
- 92
- EF3 or stronger
- 6
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Franklin
None of the 19 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Franklin; the strongest was Eloise in 1975, a tropical storm with 64 mph winds when its centre passed 22 miles away. The record near Franklin begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 56 miles away. The 1880s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 4 systems each. Of the 19 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 54% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Franklin. The strongest of the 92 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on March 25, 2021; its path came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on August 29, 2005, killed 1 person. Of the 92, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 59 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on May 27, 2025. Franklin has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 60% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 51 times since 1970, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 53% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Franklin.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Franklin
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | overhead | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Franklin: 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 Franklin
By decade
- 2020s21(1 EF3+)
- 2010s19
- 2000s19(1 EF3+)
- 1990s5
- 1980s12(1 EF3+)
- 1970s11(2 EF3+)
- 1960s4(1 EF3+)
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF4 | 2 mi | 38.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 26, 1974 | F3 | 11 mi | 21.3 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Feb 26, 2008 | EF3 | 20 mi | 7.21 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F3 | 17 mi | 14 mi | 0 / 23 |
| Apr 2, 1970 | F3 | 19 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 1964 | F3 | 18 mi | 75.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F2 | 8 mi | 5.5 mi | 1 / 3 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F2 | 3 mi | 45.5 mi | 1 / 6 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 23 mi | 23.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 21 mi | 35.82 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 14 mi | 20.74 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF2 | 9 mi | 31.29 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 92, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Franklin
The Storm Prediction Center has 51 hail reports within 10 miles of Franklin since 1970, made on 42 separate days. Of these, 28 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on June 20, 1970. The most recent report is from May 9, 2023. May has the most reports, 12.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Franklin
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Rock Mills, AL, 14 miles southwest of Franklin at 750 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 32°F. January and February are the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 53.1 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (23.7 of 53.1 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 19 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (8); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 3.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 64 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 73 nights a year. That 53.1 inches is more than at 75 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (69%). Roopville, 10 miles north, has its own station (Carrollton, GA): 53.6 inches a year, 0.5 more than here, and an August average high of 88°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 32 | 5.3 | 7 |
| Feb | 60 | 36 | 5.3 | 7 |
| Mar | 68 | 42 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Apr | 75 | 48 | 4.4 | 6 |
| May | 82 | 57 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Jun | 87 | 65 | 4.9 | 8 |
| Jul | 89 | 68 | 4.5 | 8 |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Sep | 85 | 61 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Oct | 75 | 49 | 2.8 | 4 |
| Nov | 65 | 40 | 4.1 | 5 |
| Dec | 57 | 35 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Year | 74 | 50 | 53.1 | 76 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Rock Mills, AL (750 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 Franklin
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 91 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Franklin: 76 thunderstorm wind reports, 6 flash floods, 4 floods, 4 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $1.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on August 6, 2023. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 109 have had fewer than Franklin.
April 4, 2007: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Franklin — 1 injured, $50,000 damage.
August 29, 2005: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Franklin — 1 injured, $5,000 damage.
May 8, 2003: flood 3 miles from the centre of Franklin — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “3 feet around midnight on May 8th.”
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
Heard County, which includes Franklin, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Tornadoes, on May 5, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Heard County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Very Low for hurricanes, hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $3.5 million a year, the 135th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $1.7 million (48%), 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 Franklin
- Roopville, GA10 mi
- Hogansville, GA15 mi
- Woodland, AL15 mi
- Roanoke, AL17 mi
- Grantville, GA18 mi
- Bowdon, GA18 mi
- Lagrange, GA19 mi
- Whitesburg, GA19 mi
- Carrollton, GA20 mi
- Newnan, GA21 mi
- Moreland, GA21 mi
- Ranburne, AL21 mi
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