NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Rabun Gap, 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
12 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Rabun Gap, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 44 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 12
- Tornadoes
- 44
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
7 deaths in all
What the records show for Rabun Gap
None of the 12 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Rabun Gap; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 58 mph winds when its centre passed 71 miles away. The record near Rabun Gap begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 9 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 3 systems. Of the 12 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 82% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Rabun Gap. The highest rating among the 44 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on March 27, 1994, killed 3 people. Of the 44, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 18 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 9. The most recent tornado was on September 25, 2024. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 93% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Rabun Gap. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 50 times since 1984, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 54% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Rabun Gap.
Compare Rabun Gap's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Rabun Gap
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 24 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Rabun Gap: 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 Rabun Gap
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s8(1 EF3+)
- 2000s5
- 1990s8(3 EF3+)
- 1980s8(1 EF3+)
- 1970s8
- 1960s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 22 mi | 23 mi | 3 / 15 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 16 mi | 44 mi | 3 / 45 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 2 mi | 36.99 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 16 mi | 28 mi | 0 / 37 |
| Nov 15, 1989 | F3 | 18 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F2 | 23 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F2 | 23 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 21 mi | 10.5 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 24 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F2 | 2 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F2 | 25 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F2 | 13 mi | 22.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 44, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Rabun Gap
The Storm Prediction Center has 50 hail reports within 10 miles of Rabun Gap since 1984, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 7 days, most recently April 10, 2025. The most recent report is from June 27, 2025. April and May have the most reports, 14 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Rabun Gap
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Clayton 1 SSW, GA, 5 miles south of Rabun Gap at 1,965 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 65°F; January is the coolest, at 50°F and 30°F. December is the wettest at 7.0 inches of precipitation on average and May the driest at 5.1 inches; the year adds up to 71.8 inches over 89 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (35.1 of 71.8 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 12 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal September there has highs of 79°F and 5.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 12 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 88 nights a year. Snowfall averages 2.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 71.8 inches is more than at 106 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (98%). Otto, NC, 7 miles north, has its own station (Coweeta Exp Stn, NC): 72.2 inches a year, 0.4 more than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 85°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | 30 | 6.8 | 8 | 0.9 |
| Feb | 54 | 32 | 5.8 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Mar | 61 | 37 | 6.3 | 9 | 0.1 |
| Apr | 70 | 44 | 5.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 76 | 53 | 5.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 6.3 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 85 | 65 | 5.3 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 6.4 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 79 | 59 | 5.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 71 | 47 | 5.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 61 | 37 | 6.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 53 | 32 | 7.0 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Year | 69 | 47 | 71.8 | 89 | 2.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Clayton 1 SSW, GA (1,965 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 Rabun Gap
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 78 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Rabun Gap: 58 thunderstorm wind reports, 11 flash floods, 5 floods, 3 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 1 person and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $571,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on August 24, 2007. July has had the most flash floods, 3 of 11. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 206 have had fewer than Rabun Gap.
July 2, 2022: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Rabun Gap — 1 killed.
NWS: “Emergency manager reported a lightning strike killed a 39-year-old construction worker on Blacks Creek Dr.”
August 2, 2004: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Rabun Gap — 1 injured, $2,000 damage.
May 15, 2010: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Rabun Gap — $500,000 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
Rabun County, which includes Rabun Gap, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 4 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tornadoes). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Rabun County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.0 million a year, the 73rd highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.9 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.