NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Griffin, 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
21 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Griffin, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 114 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 21
- Tornadoes
- 114
- EF3 or stronger
- 8
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
11 deaths in all
What the records show for Griffin
None of the 21 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Griffin; the strongest was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm with 64 mph winds when its centre passed 66 miles away. The record near Griffin begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 5 systems. Of the 21 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 51% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Griffin. The strongest of the 114 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on March 25, 2021; its path came within 22 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on January 12, 2023, killed 4 people. Of the 114, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 74 have come since 2000. January has had the most tornadoes, 21. The most recent tornado was on June 25, 2025. Griffin has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 86% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 93 times since 1955, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Griffin has more hail reports within 10 miles than 76% of the 405 Georgia cities.
Compare Griffin's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Griffin
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | overhead | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 23 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 Griffin: 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 Griffin
By decade
- 2020s29(4 EF3+)
- 2010s24(2 EF3+)
- 2000s21(1 EF3+)
- 1990s9
- 1980s11
- 1970s5
- 1960s9(1 EF3+)
- 1950s6
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF4 | 22 mi | 38.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 14 mi | 30.82 mi | 2 / 22 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 6 mi | 21.68 mi | 2 / 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | in town | 31.16 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 20 mi | 5.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 20 mi | 16.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 2006 | F3 | 10 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Dec 24, 1964 | F3 | 17 mi | 75.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 4 mi | 125.76 mi | 4 / 40 |
| Mar 31, 1973 | F2 | 20 mi | 72.4 mi | 2 / 100 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F2 | 13 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 2 |
| May 29, 2025 | EF2 | 11 mi | 1.82 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 114, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Griffin
The Storm Prediction Center has 93 hail reports within 10 miles of Griffin since 1955, made on 70 separate days. Of these, 52 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on April 6, 1955. The most recent report is from April 10, 2025. May has the most reports, 26.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Griffin
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Experiment, GA, 2 miles northwest of Griffin at 934 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 34°F. January is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 54.2 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (26.8 of 54.2 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 21 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (11); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 39 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 52 nights a year. That 54.2 inches is more than at 82 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (76%). Hampton, 11 miles north, has its own station (Jonesboro, GA): 53.1 inches a year, 1.1 less than here, and the same July average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 34 | 5.3 | 8 |
| Feb | 59 | 37 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Mar | 67 | 44 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Apr | 74 | 50 | 4.0 | 6 |
| May | 81 | 59 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 4.9 | 9 |
| Jul | 90 | 69 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Sep | 84 | 64 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Oct | 75 | 52 | 3.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 4.0 | 7 |
| Dec | 58 | 36 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Year | 74 | 52 | 54.2 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Experiment, GA (934 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 Griffin
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 233 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Griffin: 212 thunderstorm wind reports, 13 flash floods, 6 lightning strikes, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $1.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on March 18, 2013. March has had the most flash floods, 4 of 13. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 242 have had fewer than Griffin.
February 18, 2009: lightning strike in Griffin — 1 injured.
NWS: “The Spalding County Emergency Management Director reported that a person was struck and injured by lightning.”
July 15, 1997: thunderstorm wind in Griffin — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “Several trees were knocked down on houses near the Spalding county airport. The most substantial damage was several aircraft which were parked at the airport.”
June 29, 2008: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Griffin — $150,000 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Griffin's 2 ZIP codes have filed 24 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1994, and were paid $153,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 21% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 154 Georgia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 53 have fewer than Griffin.
Spalding County, which includes Griffin, has been named in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 hurricanes, 4 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on January 16, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Spalding County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $13.7 million a year, the 57th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $8.0 million (58%), 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.