NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit New Tazewell, TN
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 New Tazewell, Tennessee since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 32 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 6
- Tornadoes
- 32
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for New Tazewell
None of the 6 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed New Tazewell; the strongest was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm with 52 mph winds when its centre passed 68 miles away. The record near New Tazewell begins with an unnamed storm in 1915; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 47 miles away. The busiest decade was the 2020s, with 2 systems. Of the 6 systems, 2 have come since 2000. New Tazewell has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 44% of the 339 Tennessee cities on this site. The highest rating among the 32 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on July 27, 2014, came within 14 miles. The deadliest, an F1 on April 3, 1974, killed 2 people. Of the 32, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 19 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 8. The most recent tornado was on February 6, 2025. Of the 339 Tennessee cities, 85% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than New Tazewell. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 30 times since 1985, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 339 Tennessee cities, 86% have more hail reports within 10 miles than New Tazewell.
Compare New Tazewell's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near New Tazewell
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 18 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 46 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 New Tazewell: 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 New Tazewell
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s10(1 EF3+)
- 2000s7
- 1990s5
- 1980s2(1 EF3+)
- 1970s6
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 1988 | F3 | 13 mi | 5 mi | 1 / 15 |
| Jul 27, 2014 | EF3 | 14 mi | 4.66 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF2 | 12 mi | 2.6 mi | 0 / 4 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF2 | 5 mi | 2.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 6, 1980 | F2 | 24 mi | 11.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 2 / 21 |
| Feb 6, 2025 | EF1 | 11 mi | 3.51 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 2013 | EF1 | 20 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2013 | EF1 | 3 mi | 1.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF1 | 15 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF1 | 13 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF1 | 14 mi | 0.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 32, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in New Tazewell
The Storm Prediction Center has 30 hail reports within 10 miles of New Tazewell since 1985, made on 27 separate days. Of these, 18 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently November 10, 2002. The most recent report is from September 4, 2025. June has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in New Tazewell
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Tazewell, TN, 6 miles northeast of New Tazewell 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 41 of the 122 Tennessee stations used on this site (34%). Sharps Chapel, 11 miles southwest, has its own station (Norris, TN): 57.9 inches a year, 3.3 more than here, and the same July average high, 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 New Tazewell
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 144 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of New Tazewell: 134 thunderstorm wind reports, 5 flash floods, 4 floods and 1 lightning strike. They killed 2 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $2.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on June 14, 2005. July has had the most flash floods, 2 of 5. Of the 339 Tennessee cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 18 have had fewer than New Tazewell.
June 20, 2011: flash flood 3 miles from the centre of New Tazewell — 1 killed, $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Emergency management personnel reported heavy rain from thunderstorms produced flooding to at least 20 homes from Harrogate to Tazewell. One person drowned in Harrogate.”
May 8, 2024: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of New Tazewell — 1 killed.
NWS: “Several trees were blown down across the county by thunderstorm wind gusts, with one tree falling through a home. A separate tree fell on a car killing the occupant at the intersection of Lone Mountain Rd and Jennings Lane.”
March 28, 2021: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of New Tazewell — $1.2 million 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
Claiborne County, which includes New Tazewell, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 severe storms, 4 floods, 2 biological emergencies, 2 winter storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Claiborne County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and lightning; Very Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.2 million a year, the 63rd highest of 95 Tennessee counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.3 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.
Cities near New Tazewell
- Washburn, TN8 mi
- Tazewell, TN8 mi
- Cumberland Gap, TN10 mi
- Sharps Chapel, TN11 mi
- Speedwell, TN12 mi
- Harrogate, TN12 mi
- Rutledge, TN14 mi
- Middlesboro, KY14 mi
- Maynardville, TN15 mi
- Luttrell, TN16 mi
- Ewing, VA17 mi
- Blaine, TN18 mi
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