NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Monroe, 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
16 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Monroe, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 70 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 16
- Tornadoes
- 70
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
10 deaths in all
What the records show for Monroe
None of the 16 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Monroe; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 62 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The record near Monroe begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 31 miles away. The 1890s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 3 systems each. Of the 16 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 67% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Monroe. The highest rating among the 70 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 28, 1973, came within 6 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on January 12, 2023, killed 4 people. Of the 70, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 27 have come since 2000. April and May have had the most tornadoes, 13 each. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 66% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Monroe. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 43 times since 1974, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 60% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Monroe.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Monroe
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 5 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 53 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 Monroe: 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 Monroe
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s10
- 2000s10
- 1990s10
- 1980s12
- 1970s11(1 EF3+)
- 1960s8(1 EF3+)
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 1973 | F3 | 6 mi | 18.7 mi | 1 / 65 |
| Dec 24, 1964 | F3 | 24 mi | 75.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 24 mi | 125.76 mi | 4 / 40 |
| Mar 31, 1973 | F2 | in town | 72.4 mi | 2 / 100 |
| Apr 8, 1998 | F2 | 21 mi | 19 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F2 | 8 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF2 | 16 mi | 9.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 2013 | EF2 | 20 mi | 7.64 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Nov 30, 2010 | EF2 | 21 mi | 2.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 24 mi | 17.51 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F2 | 9 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 16 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 70, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Monroe
The Storm Prediction Center has 43 hail reports within 10 miles of Monroe since 1974, made on 39 separate days. Of these, 24 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on March 6, 1992. The most recent report is from June 14, 2023. April has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Monroe
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Winder 4S, GA, 8 miles north of Monroe at 889 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 32°F. March is the wettest at 5.2 inches of precipitation on average and December the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 50.9 inches over 69 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (25.3 of 50.9 inches). September has brought the most of the 16 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 37 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 60 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.5 inches a year, most of it in January. That 50.9 inches is more than at 52 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (48%). Social Circle, 11 miles south, has its own station (Covington, GA): 50.5 inches a year, 0.4 less than here, and the same July average high, 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 32 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 58 | 35 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 66 | 40 | 5.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 74 | 47 | 4.3 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 81 | 56 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 64 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 68 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 89 | 67 | 4.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 62 | 4.3 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 74 | 51 | 3.4 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 64 | 41 | 4.0 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 55 | 35 | 2.5 | 5 | 0.2 |
| Year | 73 | 50 | 50.9 | 69 | 0.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Winder 4S, GA (889 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 Monroe
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 220 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Monroe: 193 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 flash floods, 9 lightning strikes and 1 flood. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $2.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on June 18, 2015. February has had the most flash floods, 5 of 17. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 284 have had fewer than Monroe.
May 2, 2003: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Monroe — 1 injured, $250,000 damage.
NWS: “The Gwinnett-Daily Post and the public reported that lightning strikes caused a number of problems around the county. In Lawrenceville, a 24-year-old female was struck and injured by lightning.”
April 4, 2011: lightning strike 2 miles from the centre of Monroe — $300,000 damage.
NWS: “The Walton County Emergency Management Director reported that a single-family home was completely destroyed as a result of a lightning-related fire.”
April 8, 2006: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Monroe — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “The public measured a wind gust of 62 mph on a home weather instrument. Several small and large trees were also blown down in the area by the strong winds.”
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 Monroe's 2 ZIP codes have filed 21 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1990, and were paid $150,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 29% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 154 Georgia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 44 have fewer than Monroe.
Walton County, which includes Monroe, has been named in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 5 of them major disasters (by incident: 3 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tornadoes, 2 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 29, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Walton County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $21.5 million a year, the 38th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $12.7 million (59%), 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 Monroe
- Bethlehem, GA8 mi
- Loganville, GA11 mi
- Social Circle, GA11 mi
- Statham, GA12 mi
- Winder, GA12 mi
- Bishop, GA13 mi
- Bogart, GA14 mi
- Oxford, GA14 mi
- Rutledge, GA15 mi
- Dacula, GA15 mi
- Grayson, GA16 mi
- Auburn, GA16 mi
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