NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Portal, 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
71 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Portal, Georgia since 1851, 10 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 55 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 10
- Tropical storms
- 61
- Tornadoes
- 55
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Portal
The strongest storm to pass near Portal was Gracie in 1959, a Category 3 hurricane with 119 mph winds when its centre passed 75 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1894, whose centre came within 20 miles. The record near Portal begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 71 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 8 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 71 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Portal has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 81% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The strongest of the 55 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF3 on May 11, 2008; its path came within 22 miles. Of the 55, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 28 have come since 2000. April and September have had the most tornadoes, 10 each. The most recent tornado was on June 14, 2023. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 83% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Portal. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 51 times since 1991, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 53% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Portal.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Portal
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 48 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 75 mi | Category 3 (119 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 69 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 57 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 7 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 49 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 20 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 73 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 44 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 45 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 25 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Portal: 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 Portal
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s5
- 2000s19(1 EF3+)
- 1990s8
- 1980s5
- 1970s10
- 1960s2
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | 22 mi | 7.32 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 15, 2007 | EF2 | 12 mi | 5.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2003 | F2 | 21 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2003 | F2 | 9 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 3, 1998 | F2 | 21 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 7 |
| May 3, 1984 | F2 | 12 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 30 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | F2 | 17 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | F2 | 12 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 1967 | F2 | 22 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 28, 1963 | F2 | 18 mi | 52.8 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 6, 2022 | EF1 | 23 mi | 15.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 2022 | EF1 | 24 mi | 6.23 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 55, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Portal
The Storm Prediction Center has 51 hail reports within 10 miles of Portal since 1991, made on 34 separate days. Of these, 32 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on August 5, 2009. The most recent report is from March 27, 2024. May has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Portal
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Rocky Ford 4SE, GA, 10 miles northeast of Portal at 160 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 58°F and 36°F. July is the wettest at 5.9 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 48.4 inches over 74 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (26.0 of 48.4 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 71 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (23); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 3.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 74 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 44 nights a year. That 48.4 inches is more than at 28 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (26%). Statesboro, 11 miles southeast, has its own station (Brooklet 1 W, GA): 47.1 inches a year, 1.3 less than here, and a July average high of 93°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 36 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Feb | 62 | 39 | 3.6 | 7 |
| Mar | 69 | 44 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Apr | 76 | 51 | 3.3 | 5 |
| May | 84 | 60 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Jun | 89 | 68 | 5.7 | 8 |
| Jul | 92 | 71 | 5.9 | 8 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 4.8 | 8 |
| Sep | 85 | 65 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Oct | 77 | 54 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Nov | 68 | 43 | 2.9 | 4 |
| Dec | 60 | 38 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Year | 76 | 53 | 48.4 | 74 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Rocky Ford 4SE, GA (160 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 Portal
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 110 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Portal: 105 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods and 1 flood. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $491,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on April 5, 2011.
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
Bulloch County, which includes Portal, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Bulloch County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $33.2 million a year, the 23rd highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.9 million (36%), 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 Portal
- Statesboro, GA11 mi
- Metter, GA12 mi
- Twin City, GA14 mi
- Millen, GA17 mi
- Sylvania, GA22 mi
- Brooklet, GA23 mi
- Swainsboro, GA24 mi
- Claxton, GA27 mi
- Collins, GA28 mi
- Pembroke, GA32 mi
- Lyons, GA34 mi
- Guyton, GA35 mi
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