NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Martin, 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
13 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Martin, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 100 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 13
- Tornadoes
- 100
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Martin
None of the 13 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Martin; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 59 mph winds when its centre passed 50 miles away. The record near Martin begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 4 miles away. The 1880s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 3 systems each. Of the 13 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 78% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Martin. The highest rating among the 100 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 10 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on March 27, 1994, killed 3 people. Of the 100, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 47 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on September 25, 2024. Martin has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 73% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 62 times since 1962, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Martin has more hail reports within 10 miles than 54% of the 405 Georgia cities.
Compare Martin's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Martin
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Martin: 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 Martin
By decade
- 2020s11(1 EF3+)
- 2010s8
- 2000s28
- 1990s21(2 EF3+)
- 1980s11(1 EF3+)
- 1970s14(1 EF3+)
- 1960s3
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 23 mi | 44 mi | 3 / 45 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 10 mi | 16.71 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 19 mi | 28 mi | 0 / 37 |
| Nov 15, 1989 | F3 | 23 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Apr 8, 1974 | F3 | 25 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F2 | 12 mi | 5.5 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF2 | 3 mi | 9.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF2 | 22 mi | 5.48 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F2 | 15 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 2003 | F2 | 19 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 12 |
| Sep 16, 1996 | F2 | 23 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 9 mi | 10.5 mi | 0 / 15 |
The strongest 12 of 100, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Martin
The Storm Prediction Center has 62 hail reports within 10 miles of Martin since 1962, made on 53 separate days. Of these, 33 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 2 days, most recently April 27, 2012. The most recent report is from April 25, 2025. April has the most reports, 17.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Martin
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Toccoa, GA, 11 miles northwest of Martin at 1,012 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 53°F and 33°F. December is the wettest at 5.8 inches of precipitation on average and May the driest at 4.1 inches; the year adds up to 59.2 inches over 83 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (28.8 of 59.2 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 13 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 4.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 46 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 51 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.4 inches a year, most of it in January and December. That 59.2 inches is more than at 100 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (93%). Lavonia, 5 miles southeast, has its own station (Hartwell, GA): 51.9 inches a year, 7.3 less than here, and the same July average high, 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53 | 33 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.5 |
| Feb | 57 | 36 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.4 |
| Mar | 64 | 41 | 5.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 73 | 49 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 58 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 86 | 66 | 5.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 69 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 63 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 74 | 51 | 4.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 64 | 41 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 55 | 36 | 5.8 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Year | 72 | 51 | 59.2 | 83 | 1.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Toccoa, GA (1,012 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 Martin
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 121 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Martin: 111 thunderstorm wind reports, 5 flash floods, 2 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $337,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on March 6, 2003. February has had the most flash floods, 2 of 5. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 86 have had fewer than Martin.
February 6, 2020: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Martin — $100,000 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
Stephens County, which includes Martin, has been named in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1976, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Stephens County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $8.3 million a year, the 90th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.3 million (52%), 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.