NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Middlesboro, KY
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
6 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Middlesboro, Kentucky since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 29 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 6
- Tornadoes
- 29
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Middlesboro
None of the 6 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Middlesboro; the strongest was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm with 47 mph winds when its centre passed 51 miles away. The record near Middlesboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1915; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. Of the 6 systems, one has come since 2000. Middlesboro has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 52% of the 281 Kentucky cities on this site. The highest rating among the 29 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on July 27, 2014, came within 16 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on May 9, 1988, killed 1 person. Of the 29, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 19 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 10. The most recent tornado was on February 6, 2025. Of the 281 Kentucky cities, 86% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Middlesboro. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 41 times since 1986, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 281 Kentucky cities, 70% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Middlesboro.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Middlesboro
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 18 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Middlesboro: 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 Middlesboro
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s7(1 EF3+)
- 2000s10
- 1990s4
- 1980s1(1 EF3+)
- 1970s3
- 1960s2(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 1988 | F3 | 1 mi | 5 mi | 1 / 15 |
| Jul 27, 2014 | EF3 | 16 mi | 4.66 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1967 | F3 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1967 | F3 | 23 mi | 23.6 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF2 | 3 mi | 2.6 mi | 0 / 4 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF2 | 13 mi | 2.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 6, 2025 | EF1 | 23 mi | 3.51 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2013 | EF1 | 15 mi | 1.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF1 | 13 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF1 | 11 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF1 | in town | 0.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF1 | 24 mi | 9.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 29, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Middlesboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 41 hail reports within 10 miles of Middlesboro since 1986, made on 25 separate days. Of these, 26 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on July 1, 1990. The most recent report is from May 8, 2025. April has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Middlesboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Tazewell, TN, 14 miles southeast of Middlesboro at 1,365 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 63°F; January is the coolest, at 44°F and 23°F. Highs reach 90°F on about 18 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 115 nights a year. Snowfall averages 7.9 inches a year, most of it in February. That 54.6 inches is more than at 85 of the 93 Kentucky stations used on this site (91%). Pineville, 9 miles north, has its own station (Barbourville, KY): 53.9 inches a year, 0.7 less than here, and a July average high of 87°F against 85°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44 | 23 | 4.7 | 8 | 2.6 |
| Feb | 48 | 26 | 5.1 | 8 | 3.0 |
| Mar | 57 | 32 | 5.3 | 9 | 0.6 |
| Apr | 68 | 40 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.1 |
| May | 75 | 50 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 82 | 59 | 5.0 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 85 | 63 | 5.2 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 84 | 62 | 3.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 79 | 55 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 69 | 41 | 3.1 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 57 | 31 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Dec | 47 | 26 | 5.3 | 9 | 1.4 |
| Year | 66 | 42 | 54.6 | 93 | 7.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Tazewell, TN (1,365 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 Middlesboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 185 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Middlesboro: 127 thunderstorm wind reports, 27 flash floods, 18 heavy rain events and 13 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on June 14, 2005. Of the 281 Kentucky cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 163 have had fewer than Middlesboro.
June 20, 2011: flood 1 mile from the centre of Middlesboro — $1.0 million damage.
NWS: “Parts of Old Pineville Pike, Cumberland Ave, and 25th St were severely flooded in Middlesboro. By midmorning, the Cumberland Gap Tunnel was closed and parts of Hwy 25E were impassable.”
April 3, 2007: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Middlesboro — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Numerous trees and powerlines down throughout the county. Roof and siding damage to a few homes in the Dorton Branch area.”
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 Middlesboro's ZIP code 40965 have filed 328 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $5.5 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1990: 33 claims (10% of all) and $209,000. The year with the most claims was 2011, with 118. 11% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 143 Kentucky cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 128 have fewer than Middlesboro.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1990 | 33 | $209,000 |
Bell County, which includes Middlesboro, has been named in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1967, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 9 floods, 3 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, on February 24, 2025. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Bell County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $18.8 million a year, the 32nd highest of 120 Kentucky counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $15.0 million (80%), 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 Middlesboro
- Cumberland Gap, TN4 mi
- Harrogate, TN7 mi
- Pineville, KY9 mi
- Ewing, VA13 mi
- Speedwell, TN13 mi
- New Tazewell, TN14 mi
- Tazewell, TN15 mi
- Barbourville, KY19 mi
- Sharps Chapel, TN19 mi
- Rose Hill, VA21 mi
- Washburn, TN22 mi
- Wallins Creek, KY22 mi
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