NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Ray City, 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
77 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Ray City, Georgia since 1851, 12 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 70 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 12
- Tropical storms
- 65
- Tornadoes
- 70
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
12 deaths in all
What the records show for Ray City
The strongest storm to pass near Ray City was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 2 hurricane with 108 mph winds when its centre passed 65 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1852, whose centre came within 10 miles. The record near Ray City begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a Category 2 hurricane 11 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 9 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 77 systems, 14 have come since 2000. Ray City has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 84% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 70 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on January 22, 2017, came within 6 miles. Of the 70, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 26 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on February 4, 2024. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 66% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Ray City. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 36 times since 1961, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 70% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Ray City.
Compare Ray City's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Ray City
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 11 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 21 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | overhead | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 34 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | Unnamed 1971 stormAug 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 18 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 11 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 6 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 29 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 50 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 65 mi | Category 2 (108 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 29 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 38 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 63 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 10 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 63 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Ray City: 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 Ray City
By decade
- 2020s10
- 2010s9(2 EF3+)
- 2000s7
- 1990s8
- 1980s7
- 1970s15
- 1960s8
- 1950s6(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | 6 mi | 24.66 mi | 11 / 45 |
| Mar 3, 2012 | EF3 | 4 mi | 10.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 1952 | F3 | 21 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Feb 4, 2024 | EF2 | 14 mi | 7.27 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 22, 2023 | EF2 | 12 mi | 5.89 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 29, 2014 | EF2 | 18 mi | 0.74 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Dec 5, 2005 | F2 | 21 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 12, 2002 | F2 | 19 mi | 3.1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 25, 1982 | F2 | 16 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 29, 1971 | F2 | 23 mi | 11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 22, 1970 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | F2 | 15 mi | 217.8 mi | 0 / 30 |
The strongest 12 of 70, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Ray City
The Storm Prediction Center has 36 hail reports within 10 miles of Ray City since 1961, made on 31 separate days. Of these, 20 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on April 30, 1971. The most recent report is from April 23, 2025. April has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Ray City
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Valdosta Regional Airport, GA, 20 miles south of Ray City at 198 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 39°F. June is the wettest at 7.1 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 48.3 inches over 68 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 58% of the year's precipitation (27.9 of 48.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 77 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (26); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 101 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 22 nights a year. That 48.3 inches is more than at 26 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (24%). Lakeland, 8 miles east, has its own station (Homerville 5 N, GA): 49.3 inches a year, 1.0 more than here, and an August average high of 91°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 39 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Feb | 67 | 42 | 3.3 | 5 |
| Mar | 73 | 47 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Apr | 80 | 53 | 3.7 | 5 |
| May | 86 | 60 | 2.8 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 68 | 7.1 | 8 |
| Jul | 92 | 70 | 5.3 | 9 |
| Aug | 92 | 71 | 5.1 | 8 |
| Sep | 88 | 67 | 4.2 | 5 |
| Oct | 81 | 57 | 3.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 71 | 47 | 2.5 | 4 |
| Dec | 65 | 41 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Year | 79 | 55 | 48.3 | 68 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Valdosta Regional Airport, GA (198 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 Ray City
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 220 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Ray City: 195 thunderstorm wind reports, 20 flash floods, 2 heavy rain events, 2 lightning strikes and 1 flood. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $3.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 8, 2020. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 311 have had fewer than Ray City.
April 2, 2009: flood 7 miles from the centre of Ray City — $2.5 million damage.
July 2, 2009: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Ray City — $300,000 damage.
May 3, 2016: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Ray City — $100,000 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
Berrien County, which includes Ray City, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Berrien County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $8.6 million a year, the 83rd highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.3 million (38%), 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 Ray City
- Lakeland, GA8 mi
- Nashville, GA9 mi
- Hahira, GA11 mi
- Adel, GA14 mi
- Valdosta, GA15 mi
- Sparks, GA16 mi
- Lenox, GA21 mi
- Willacoochee, GA24 mi
- Lake Park, GA24 mi
- Pearson, GA26 mi
- Homerville, GA28 mi
- Quitman, GA29 mi
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