NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Green Cove Springs, FL
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
85 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Green Cove Springs, Florida since 1851, 19 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 142 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 19
- Tropical storms
- 66
- Tornadoes
- 142
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Green Cove Springs
The strongest storm to pass near Green Cove Springs was an unnamed storm in 1898, a Category 4 hurricane with 132 mph winds when its centre passed 63 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Dora in 1964, whose centre came within 1 mile. The record near Green Cove Springs begins with an unnamed storm in 1853; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 67 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 12 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 85 systems, 15 have come since 2000. Of the 407 Florida cities on this site, 78% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Green Cove Springs. The strongest of the 142 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on February 7, 1971; its path came within 11 miles. The deadliest, an F0 on June 11, 2001, killed 1 person. Of the 142, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 65 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 25. The most recent tornado was on May 29, 2025. Green Cove Springs has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 63% of the 407 Florida cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 26 times since 1975, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 407 Florida cities, 69% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Green Cove Springs.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Green Cove Springs
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 7 | 63 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 22 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 5 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 49 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2002 | EdouardSep 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2000 | GordonSep 18 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | IsabelOct 10 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 28 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 50 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 28 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1968 | BrendaJun 20 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 6 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormOct 18 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 10 | 1 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 28 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 11 | 47 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | KingOct 18 | 35 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1950 | EasySep 7 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 27 | 69 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 18 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 24 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 19 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 30 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormJul 30 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1930 | Unnamed 1930 stormSep 10 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 2 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 28 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 30 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 15 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 5 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 63 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 49 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 37 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 61 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 27 | 65 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormJun 17 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 12 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 30 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 19 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 1 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 24 | 59 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 8 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 28 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 11 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 27 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 23 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 6 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 18 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 7 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 8 | 73 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 20 | 64 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Green Cove Springs: 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 Green Cove Springs
By decade
- 2020s19
- 2010s16
- 2000s30
- 1990s16
- 1980s17
- 1970s28(1 EF3+)
- 1960s10
- 1950s6
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7, 1971 | F3 | 11 mi | 13.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 5, 1977 | F2 | 23 mi | 9.4 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Mar 29, 2001 | F2 | 1 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 2, 1996 | F2 | 24 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 24, 1995 | F2 | 19 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Feb 27, 1984 | F2 | 19 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 18, 1975 | F2 | 24 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | 8 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | 25 mi | 17.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 4, 1973 | F2 | 22 mi | 39 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jan 22, 1972 | F2 | 10 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Feb 7, 1971 | F2 | 19 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 142, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Green Cove Springs
The Storm Prediction Center has 26 hail reports within 10 miles of Green Cove Springs since 1975, made on 23 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 6 days, most recently April 17, 2022. The most recent report is from May 21, 2023. May has the most reports, 9.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Green Cove Springs
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Jacksonville NAS, FL, 18 miles north of Green Cove Springs at 20 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 76°F; January is the coolest, at 66°F and 47°F. June is the wettest at 7.3 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.0 inches; the year adds up to 47.7 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 66% of the year's precipitation (31.3 of 47.7 inches); the other six months are drier. October has brought the most of the 85 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (28); a normal October there has highs of 82°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 97 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 4 nights a year. That 47.7 inches is more than at 8 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (6%). Elkton, 21 miles southeast, has its own station (Hastings 4NE, FL): 56.2 inches a year, 8.5 more than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 92°F.
Sea level at the Mayport tide gauge, 34 miles from Green Cove Springs, has risen 1.15 ± 0.05 inches per decade from 1928 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 11.5 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 65 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66 | 47 | 2.9 | 5 |
| Feb | 69 | 50 | 2.3 | 5 |
| Mar | 74 | 55 | 3.1 | 6 |
| Apr | 81 | 61 | 2.4 | 4 |
| May | 86 | 69 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 74 | 7.3 | 10 |
| Jul | 92 | 76 | 6.0 | 10 |
| Aug | 91 | 76 | 6.3 | 10 |
| Sep | 88 | 74 | 6.1 | 8 |
| Oct | 82 | 66 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Nov | 73 | 56 | 2.0 | 4 |
| Dec | 68 | 50 | 2.5 | 4 |
| Year | 80 | 63 | 47.7 | 76 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Jacksonville NAS, FL (20 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 Green Cove Springs
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 187 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Green Cove Springs: 130 thunderstorm wind reports, 44 heavy rain events, 7 floods, 4 lightning strikes and 2 flash floods. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $260,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on July 11, 1997.
March 28, 2009: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Green Cove Springs — 1 injured.
NWS: “A 17 year old man was struck by lightning at 1512 Dahlgreen Street. He was treated at the scene by Fire-Rescue and then transported to Baptist South Hospital.”
January 21, 2010: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Green Cove Springs — 1 injured.
NWS: “A tree was blown down on a truck on the 2100 block of Mallard Road. The drive had some minor injuries.”
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
Flood insurance policyholders in Green Cove Springs's ZIP code 32043 have filed 211 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1992, and were paid $6.2 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Irma in 2017: 85 claims (40% of all) and $3.9 million, then Hurricane Matthew in 2016 with 34 and Tropical Storm Debby in 2012 with 17. 81% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 340 Florida cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 150 have fewer than Green Cove Springs.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma2017 | 85 | $3.9 million |
| Hurricane Matthew2016 | 34 | $952,000 |
| Tropical Storm Debby2012 | 17 | $258,000 |
Clay County, which includes Green Cove Springs, has been named in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1992, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 18 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 6 fires, 4 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton, on October 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Clay County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Low for coastal flooding and strong wind; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $57.1 million a year, the 35th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $35.2 million (62%), 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 Green Cove Springs
- Saint Johns, FL11 mi
- Middleburg, FL12 mi
- Orange Park, FL12 mi
- Fleming Island, FL13 mi
- Elkton, FL21 mi
- Keystone Heights, FL21 mi
- Palatka, FL21 mi
- St Augustine, FL22 mi
- East Palatka, FL22 mi
- Jacksonville, FL23 mi
- Lawtey, FL23 mi
- Starke, FL24 mi
All Florida cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Green Cove Springs with another place →