NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Pelham, 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
69 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Pelham, Georgia since 1851, 12 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 102 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 12
- Tropical storms
- 57
- Tornadoes
- 102
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
39 deaths in all
What the records show for Pelham
The strongest storm to pass near Pelham was Helene in 2024, a Category 2 hurricane with 106 mph winds when its centre passed 44 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1894, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Pelham begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The busiest decade was the 1870s, with 8 systems. Of the 69 systems, 13 have come since 2000. Pelham has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 84% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 102 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on January 22, 2017, came within 25 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on February 13, 2000, killed 11 people. Of the 102, 8 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 52 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 24. The most recent tornado was on April 7, 2025. Pelham has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 74% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 28 times since 1960, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 81% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Pelham.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Pelham
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 44 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 72 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 11 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 31 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 8 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 20 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 74 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 64 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 6 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 26 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 19 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 10 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 24 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 37 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 21 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Pelham: 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 Pelham
By decade
- 2020s16
- 2010s14(1 EF3+)
- 2000s22(3 EF3+)
- 1990s11
- 1980s9
- 1970s15
- 1960s11(1 EF3+)
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 6 mi | 9.2 mi | 11 / 175 |
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 6 mi | 15 mi | 7 / 15 |
| Mar 20, 2003 | F3 | 8 mi | 25 mi | 6 / 200 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | 25 mi | 70.4 mi | 5 / 88 |
| Nov 11, 1968 | F3 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF2 | 19 mi | 30.53 mi | 6 / 3 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 14 mi | 10 mi | 2 / 12 |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | 6 mi | 168.5 mi | 1 / 33 |
| Dec 15, 2022 | EF2 | 18 mi | 1.96 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 20, 2020 | EF2 | 23 mi | 8.72 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 16 mi | 2.68 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF2 | 18 mi | 18.67 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 102, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Pelham
The Storm Prediction Center has 28 hail reports within 10 miles of Pelham since 1960, made on 21 separate days. Of these, 24 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on December 28, 2005. The most recent report is from November 9, 2025.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Pelham
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Camilla 3 SE, GA, 6 miles northwest of Pelham at 175 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 60°F and 38°F. June is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and May the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 51.7 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (26.2 of 51.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 69 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (24); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 4.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 64 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 33 nights a year. That 51.7 inches is more than at 63 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (58%). Ochlocknee, 11 miles southeast, has its own station (Cairo 1SW, GA): 51.0 inches a year, 0.7 less than here, and the same July average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 38 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Feb | 64 | 41 | 4.8 | 6 |
| Mar | 70 | 46 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Apr | 77 | 53 | 4.0 | 5 |
| May | 84 | 62 | 2.3 | 4 |
| Jun | 89 | 69 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Jul | 90 | 72 | 5.3 | 9 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 5.3 | 8 |
| Sep | 86 | 67 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Oct | 79 | 56 | 2.8 | 4 |
| Nov | 70 | 45 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Dec | 63 | 40 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Year | 77 | 55 | 51.7 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Camilla 3 SE, GA (175 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 Pelham
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 129 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Pelham: 107 thunderstorm wind reports, 15 flash floods, 4 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $794,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on January 4, 2015. April has had the most flash floods, 12 of 15. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 271 have had fewer than Pelham.
January 4, 2015: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Pelham — 1 injured, $10,000 damage.
February 13, 2007: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Pelham — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “The Mitchell County EMA reported 15 homes damaged.”
August 23, 2008: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Pelham — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “Several roads and low lying areas were flooded, including Pelham and portions of State Highways 65 and 112.”
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
Mitchell County, which includes Pelham, has been named in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Mitchell County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.5 million a year, the 50th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.9 million (32%), is from hurricanes.
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 Pelham
- Meigs, GA6 mi
- Camilla, GA8 mi
- Ochlocknee, GA11 mi
- Cairo, GA16 mi
- Baconton, GA18 mi
- Whigham, GA18 mi
- Coolidge, GA18 mi
- Doerun, GA20 mi
- Thomasville, GA22 mi
- Climax, GA23 mi
- Moultrie, GA24 mi
- Pavo, GA28 mi
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