NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Hayden, 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
11 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Hayden, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 194 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 29 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 11
- Tornadoes
- 194
- EF3 or stronger
- 29
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
220 deaths in all
What the records show for Hayden
None of the 11 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Hayden; the strongest was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm with 64 mph winds when its centre passed 35 miles away. The record near Hayden begins with an unnamed storm in 1881; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 3 systems. Of the 11 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 323 Alabama cities on this site, 76% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Hayden. The highest rating among the 194 tornadoes within 25 miles is F5, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 8, 1998, came within 24 miles. The deadliest, an EF4 on April 27, 2011, killed 64 people. Of the 194, 11 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 98 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 59. The most recent tornado was on November 25, 2025. Hayden has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 96% of the 323 Alabama cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 46 times since 1968, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 323 Alabama cities, 61% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Hayden.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Hayden
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | JuanNov 1 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 29 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Hayden: 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 Hayden
By decade
- 2020s23(1 EF3+)
- 2010s32(8 EF3+)
- 2000s43(2 EF3+)
- 1990s17(2 EF3+)
- 1980s21(4 EF3+)
- 1970s31(5 EF3+)
- 1960s12(3 EF3+)
- 1950s15(4 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 1998 | F5 | 24 mi | 30.3 mi | 32 / 259 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F5 | 23 mi | 14.7 mi | 22 / 130 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 20 mi | 80.68 mi | 64 / 1500 |
| Apr 15, 1956 | F4 | 22 mi | 21.3 mi | 25 / 200 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 20 mi | 97.33 mi | 22 / 85 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 7 mi | 127.8 mi | 13 / 54 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 17 mi | 46.88 mi | 6 / 48 |
| Nov 17, 1957 | F4 | 24 mi | 7.2 mi | 4 / 15 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 17 mi | 110.6 mi | 3 / 178 |
| Nov 18, 1957 | F4 | 14 mi | 26.1 mi | 3 / 12 |
| Mar 6, 1967 | F4 | 10 mi | 20.9 mi | 2 / 25 |
| Mar 11, 1963 | F4 | 4 mi | 28 mi | 2 / 6 |
The strongest 12 of 194, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Hayden
The Storm Prediction Center has 46 hail reports within 10 miles of Hayden since 1968, made on 36 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on August 9, 2023. The most recent report is from September 13, 2024. April has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Hayden
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Hanceville, AL, 10 miles north of Hayden at 590 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 88°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 51°F and 30°F. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 43% of the year's precipitation (25.4 of 59.1 inches); the other six months are wetter. Highs reach 90°F on about 46 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 72 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.1 inches a year, most of it in March. That 59.1 inches is more than at 72 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (67%). Trafford, 7 miles south, has its own station (Pinson, AL): 57.1 inches a year, 2.0 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 88°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 30 | 5.8 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Feb | 55 | 32 | 5.8 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 64 | 39 | 5.8 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Apr | 72 | 46 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 79 | 55 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 63 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 88 | 67 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 66 | 3.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 60 | 3.9 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 48 | 3.6 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 62 | 37 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 54 | 32 | 5.8 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Year | 71 | 48 | 59.1 | 81 | 1.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Hanceville, AL (590 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 Hayden
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 154 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Hayden: 131 thunderstorm wind reports, 14 flash floods, 6 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 12, and the NWS estimated $1.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on April 27, 2011. April has had the most flash floods, 5 of 14. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 170 have had fewer than Hayden.
August 17, 2018: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Hayden — 12 injured.
August 24, 2007: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Hayden — $1.0 million damage.
August 13, 2010: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Hayden — $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
Blount County, which includes Hayden, has been named in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 13 severe storms, 6 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Thunderstorms, on July 10, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Blount County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes; Relatively Moderate for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $21.3 million a year, the 27th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $9.9 million (47%), 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 Hayden
- Trafford, AL7 mi
- Warrior, AL8 mi
- Hanceville, AL9 mi
- Cleveland, AL10 mi
- Kimberly, AL11 mi
- Remlap, AL11 mi
- Morris, AL13 mi
- Pinson, AL15 mi
- Bremen, AL16 mi
- Empire, AL16 mi
- Gardendale, AL17 mi
- Oneonta, AL17 mi
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