NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Gillsville, 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
14 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Gillsville, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 90 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 14
- Tornadoes
- 90
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
17 deaths in all
What the records show for Gillsville
None of the 14 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Gillsville; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 73 miles away. The record near Gillsville begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 26 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 3 systems. Of the 14 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 76% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Gillsville. The highest rating among the 90 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on March 20, 1998, came within 14 miles. Of the 90, 9 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 36 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on May 2, 2025. Gillsville has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 58% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 77 times since 1968, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Gillsville has more hail reports within 10 miles than 66% of the 405 Georgia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Gillsville
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Gillsville: 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 Gillsville
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s9
- 2000s20
- 1990s18(3 EF3+)
- 1980s15(1 EF3+)
- 1970s11(1 EF3+)
- 1960s5
- 1950s5
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | F3 | 14 mi | 4 mi | 12 / 171 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 24 mi | 44 mi | 3 / 45 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F3 | 25 mi | 10 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Nov 15, 1989 | F3 | 22 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Dec 13, 1973 | F3 | 3 mi | 9.5 mi | 0 / 21 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F2 | 22 mi | 5.5 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Nov 30, 2010 | EF2 | 23 mi | 2.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF2 | 24 mi | 9.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 12 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 20 mi | 3.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 19 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 5 mi | 7.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 90, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Gillsville
The Storm Prediction Center has 77 hail reports within 10 miles of Gillsville since 1968, made on 64 separate days. Of these, 45 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 17 days, most recently March 21, 2017. The most recent report is from April 5, 2017. April has the most reports, 20.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Gillsville
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Commerce 4 NNW, GA, 10 miles east of Gillsville at 820 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 53°F and 31°F. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 48% of the year's precipitation (24.7 of 52.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 14 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 3.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 44 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 60 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 52.0 inches is more than at 68 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (63%). Lula, 6 miles north, has its own station (Cornelia, GA): 59.1 inches a year, 7.1 more than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53 | 31 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Feb | 56 | 34 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 65 | 40 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Apr | 73 | 47 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 57 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 86 | 65 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 69 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 62 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 49 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 64 | 39 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 55 | 33 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Year | 72 | 49 | 52.0 | 77 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Commerce 4 NNW, GA (820 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 Gillsville
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 126 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Gillsville: 108 thunderstorm wind reports, 14 flash floods and 4 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $2.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on July 23, 2000. October has had the most flash floods, 8 of 14. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 258 have had fewer than Gillsville.
July 8, 2008: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Gillsville — 1 killed, $30,000 damage.
NWS: “The Banks County Emergency Management Director reported that more than a dozen trees were down across the county. S.”
February 21, 1997: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Gillsville — $500,000 damage.
May 6, 2003: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Gillsville — $250,000 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
Hall County, which includes Gillsville, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Zeta, on January 12, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Hall County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $56.8 million a year, the 11th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $30.3 million (53%), 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 Gillsville
- Maysville, GA6 mi
- Lula, GA6 mi
- Pendergrass, GA9 mi
- Homer, GA11 mi
- Gainesville, GA11 mi
- Alto, GA11 mi
- Jefferson, GA14 mi
- Commerce, GA14 mi
- Oakwood, GA14 mi
- Braselton, GA14 mi
- Baldwin, GA15 mi
- Clermont, GA15 mi
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