NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Salem, AL
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
27 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Salem, Alabama since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Fred in 2021. Since 1950, 108 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 26
- Tornadoes
- 108
- EF3 or stronger
- 8
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
35 deaths in all
What the records show for Salem
The strongest storm to pass near Salem was Eloise in 1975, a Category 1 hurricane with 76 mph winds when its centre passed 35 miles away. The record near Salem begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Fred in 2021, a tropical storm 63 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 6 systems. Of the 27 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Salem has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 63% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The strongest of the 108 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on March 3, 2019; its path came within 4 miles, and it killed 23 people. Of the 108, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 58 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 30. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 71% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Salem. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 52 times since 1965, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Of the 323 Alabama cities, 55% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Salem.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Salem
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FredAug 17 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 12 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 35 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | overhead | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Salem: 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 Salem
By decade
- 2020s8(1 EF3+)
- 2010s33(2 EF3+)
- 2000s17
- 1990s13
- 1980s7
- 1970s14(1 EF3+)
- 1960s9(1 EF3+)
- 1950s7(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF4 | 4 mi | 68.04 mi | 23 / 90 |
| Apr 18, 1953 | F3 | 4 mi | 39.8 mi | 8 / 495 |
| Mar 19, 1970 | F3 | 17 mi | 2 mi | 2 / 14 |
| Mar 13, 1954 | F3 | 20 mi | 7 mi | 2 / 20 |
| Mar 26, 2023 | EF3 | 21 mi | 21.54 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 29, 2014 | EF3 | 5 mi | 11.45 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Mar 31, 1961 | F3 | 14 mi | 8.2 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Dec 5, 1954 | F3 | 10 mi | 51 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 8 mi | 29.07 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Nov 16, 2011 | EF2 | 6 mi | 61.51 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Apr 19, 2009 | EF2 | 13 mi | 3.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 28, 2009 | EF2 | in town | 8.29 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 108, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Salem
The Storm Prediction Center has 52 hail reports within 10 miles of Salem since 1965, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 29 were 1 inch across or larger, and 4 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on March 18, 2013. The most recent report is from March 31, 2025. March has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Salem
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Columbus Metro Airport, GA, 15 miles east of Salem at 392 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 59°F and 38°F. March is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 48.8 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 48% of the year's precipitation (23.2 of 48.8 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 27 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (12); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 3.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 80 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 28 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.5 inches a year, most of it in December. That 48.8 inches is more than at 0 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (0%). Opelika, 11 miles west, has its own station (Opelika, AL): 55.3 inches a year, 6.5 more than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 38 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 63 | 42 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 70 | 47 | 4.9 | 6 | 0.2 |
| Apr | 78 | 54 | 4.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 85 | 63 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 4.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 93 | 74 | 4.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 4.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 87 | 68 | 3.3 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 78 | 57 | 2.8 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 68 | 46 | 4.0 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 61 | 41 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Year | 77 | 56 | 48.8 | 72 | 0.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Columbus Metro Airport, GA (392 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 Salem
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 97 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Salem: 82 thunderstorm wind reports, 10 flash floods, 4 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 2 people and injured 3, and the NWS estimated $878,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on February 15, 2016. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 123 have had fewer than Salem.
July 21, 2017: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Salem — 1 killed.
July 20, 2024: lightning strike 4 miles from the centre of Salem — 1 killed.
June 9, 2020: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Salem — 2 injured.
NWS: “Home located on Lee Road 2087 struck by lightning with ensuing fire. Two women struck by lightning on the same road.”
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
Lee County, which includes Salem, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 7 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tornadoes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 29, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Lee County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $40.4 million a year, the 16th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $24.9 million (62%), 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 Salem
- Smiths Station, AL6 mi
- Opelika, AL11 mi
- Fortson, GA11 mi
- Phenix City, AL12 mi
- Cusseta, AL12 mi
- Valley, AL13 mi
- Columbus, GA16 mi
- Hamilton, GA16 mi
- Auburn University, AL18 mi
- Cataula, GA18 mi
- Auburn, AL18 mi
- Seale, AL19 mi
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