NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Hillsboro, 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
8 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Hillsboro, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Katrina in 2005. Since 1950, 177 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 23 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 8
- Tornadoes
- 177
- EF3 or stronger
- 23
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
169 deaths in all
What the records show for Hillsboro
None of the 8 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Hillsboro; the strongest was Frederic in 1979, a tropical storm with 48 mph winds when its centre passed 12 miles away. The record near Hillsboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1892; the most recent system was Katrina in 2005, a tropical storm 63 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 2 systems. Of the 8 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 323 Alabama cities on this site, 85% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Hillsboro. The highest rating among the 177 tornadoes within 25 miles is F5 or EF5, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 5 miles. Of the 177, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 125 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 48. The most recent tornado was on May 20, 2025. Hillsboro has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 88% of the 323 Alabama cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 88 times since 1976, with stones up to 3.75 inches. Hillsboro has more hail reports within 10 miles than 74% of the 323 Alabama cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Hillsboro
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 30 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 18 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 19 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | overhead | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Hillsboro: 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 Hillsboro
By decade
- 2020s29(1 EF3+)
- 2010s47(4 EF3+)
- 2000s49(1 EF3+)
- 1990s15(3 EF3+)
- 1980s9(2 EF3+)
- 1970s10(5 EF3+)
- 1960s7(4 EF3+)
- 1950s11(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF5 | 5 mi | 132 mi | 72 / 145 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F5 | 15 mi | 79.5 mi | 28 / 272 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F5 | 3 mi | 52 mi | 28 / 267 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F5 | 9 mi | 83.3 mi | 16 / 190 |
| Apr 24, 1955 | F4 | 22 mi | 8.6 mi | 5 / 20 |
| Feb 6, 2008 | EF4 | 10 mi | 16.7 mi | 4 / 23 |
| Mar 22, 1952 | F4 | 12 mi | 21.6 mi | 4 / 50 |
| May 18, 1995 | F4 | 16 mi | 39 mi | 1 / 55 |
| Apr 28, 2014 | EF3 | 9 mi | 15.56 mi | 2 / 30 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 19 mi | 46.5 mi | 2 / 7 |
| Mar 9, 1964 | F3 | 17 mi | 5.2 mi | 2 / 2 |
| May 8, 2024 | EF3 | 6 mi | 3.76 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 177, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Hillsboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 88 hail reports within 10 miles of Hillsboro since 1976, made on 57 separate days. Of these, 53 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3.75 inches, fell on June 15, 2009. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. March has the most reports, 21.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Hillsboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Courtland 2 WSW, AL, 8 miles west of Hillsboro at 575 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 51°F and 31°F. Highs reach 90°F on about 49 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 64 nights a year. That 56.2 inches is more than at 32 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (30%). Trinity, 7 miles southeast, has its own station (Decatur Pryor Field, AL): 49.7 inches a year, 6.5 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 31 | 5.0 | 6 |
| Feb | 55 | 34 | 5.5 | 7 |
| Mar | 63 | 41 | 5.5 | 8 |
| Apr | 72 | 49 | 4.9 | 7 |
| May | 80 | 58 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Jun | 86 | 66 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Jul | 89 | 70 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Sep | 83 | 61 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Oct | 73 | 50 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Nov | 62 | 39 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Dec | 53 | 34 | 5.5 | 8 |
| Year | 71 | 50 | 56.2 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Courtland 2 WSW, AL (575 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 Hillsboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 181 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Hillsboro: 148 thunderstorm wind reports, 19 flash floods, 8 floods, 4 lightning strikes and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $2.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 110 mph, on August 3, 2011. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 208 have had fewer than Hillsboro.
June 21, 2011: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Hillsboro — 2 injured, $60,000 damage.
July 20, 2000: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Hillsboro — 1 injured, $75,000 damage.
June 4, 2010: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Hillsboro — 1 injured.
NWS: “A man was struck by lightning on Paradise Shores Road and sustained non-life threatening 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
Lawrence County, which includes Hillsboro, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 severe storms, 6 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tornadoes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 29, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Lawrence County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes and inland flooding; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.5 million a year, the 29th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $7.5 million (36%), 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).
Hillsboro in the notable storm records: The April 27, 2011 EF5 Tornado in Alabama, near Madison
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Hillsboro
- Trinity, AL7 mi
- Moulton, AL11 mi
- Town Creek, AL12 mi
- Decatur, AL14 mi
- Rogersville, AL14 mi
- Athens, AL17 mi
- Danville, AL17 mi
- Leighton, AL19 mi
- Hartselle, AL21 mi
- Elkmont, AL23 mi
- Lexington, AL24 mi
- Killen, AL25 mi
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