NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Jacksons Gap, 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
23 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Jacksons Gap, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 102 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 7 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 23
- Tornadoes
- 102
- EF3 or stronger
- 7
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
25 deaths in all
What the records show for Jacksons Gap
None of the 23 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Jacksons Gap; the strongest was Eloise in 1975, a tropical storm with 72 mph winds when its centre passed 7 miles away. The record near Jacksons Gap begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 55 miles away. The 1880s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 4 systems each. Of the 23 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Jacksons Gap has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 61% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The strongest of the 102 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on April 27, 2011; its path came within 5 miles, and it killed 7 people. The deadliest, an F3 on April 18, 1953, killed 8 people. Of the 102, 11 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 65 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 25. The most recent tornado was on March 15, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 75% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Jacksons Gap. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 66 times since 1980, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Jacksons Gap has more hail reports within 10 miles than 58% of the 323 Alabama cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Jacksons Gap
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | IvanSep 16 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | JuanNov 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 26 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 Jacksons Gap: 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 Jacksons Gap
By decade
- 2020s18(2 EF3+)
- 2010s20(1 EF3+)
- 2000s27
- 1990s8(1 EF3+)
- 1980s12
- 1970s8(1 EF3+)
- 1960s5(1 EF3+)
- 1950s4(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 5 mi | 44.18 mi | 7 / 30 |
| Apr 18, 1953 | F3 | 24 mi | 39.8 mi | 8 / 495 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | in town | 82.31 mi | 7 / 16 |
| Nov 17, 1968 | F3 | 22 mi | 32.3 mi | 1 / 24 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF3 | 2 mi | 20.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 18, 1996 | F3 | in town | 24 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1976 | F3 | 17 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF2 | 2 mi | 34.04 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F2 | 19 mi | 45.5 mi | 1 / 6 |
| Nov 30, 2022 | EF2 | 25 mi | 6.26 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF2 | 17 mi | 31.29 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2019 | EF2 | 24 mi | 8.58 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 102, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Jacksons Gap
The Storm Prediction Center has 66 hail reports within 10 miles of Jacksons Gap since 1980, made on 48 separate days. Of these, 44 were 1 inch across or larger, and 4 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 3 inches (tea cup size), was reported on 2 days, most recently March 26, 2011. The most recent report is from August 18, 2024. March has the most reports, 21.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Jacksons Gap
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Alexander City, AL, 8 miles northwest of Jacksons Gap at 640 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 32°F. January is the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 57.0 inches over 81 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (25.6 of 57.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 23 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (9); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 62 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 59 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in January. That 57.0 inches is more than at 48 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (45%). Camp Hill, 12 miles east, has its own station (Lafayette 2W, AL): 56.4 inches a year, 0.6 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 32 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Feb | 60 | 35 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 68 | 42 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 75 | 48 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 82 | 58 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 88 | 66 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 5.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 69 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 86 | 63 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 77 | 51 | 2.9 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 66 | 40 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 58 | 35 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Year | 75 | 51 | 57.0 | 81 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Alexander City, AL (640 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 Jacksons Gap
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 112 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Jacksons Gap: 101 thunderstorm wind reports, 6 flash floods, 4 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $654,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on January 23, 2012. July has had the most flash floods, 2 of 6. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 64 have had fewer than Jacksons Gap.
July 4, 2008: lightning strike 5 miles from the centre of Jacksons Gap — 3 injured, $1,000 damage.
April 19, 2020: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Jacksons Gap — 2 injured.
January 23, 2012: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Jacksons Gap — 1 injured.
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
Tallapoosa County, which includes Jacksons Gap, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 7 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on May 5, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Tallapoosa County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $19.1 million a year, the 31st highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $12.9 million (67%), 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 Jacksons Gap
- Alexander City, AL5 mi
- Dadeville, AL6 mi
- Camp Hill, AL12 mi
- Eclectic, AL15 mi
- Goodwater, AL20 mi
- Tallassee, AL22 mi
- Notasulga, AL23 mi
- Lafayette, AL24 mi
- Wadley, AL25 mi
- Ashland, AL26 mi
- Auburn University, AL28 mi
- Auburn, AL28 mi
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