NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit San Diego, TX
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
32 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of San Diego, Texas since 1851, 7 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Harold in 2023. Since 1950, 44 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 7
- Tropical storms
- 25
- Tornadoes
- 44
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for San Diego
The strongest storm to pass near San Diego was an unnamed storm in 1875, a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds when its centre passed 70 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1916, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near San Diego begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Harold in 2023, a tropical storm 25 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 5 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 32 systems, 4 have come since 2000. San Diego has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 79% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 44 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2, reached 3 times; the most recent, on August 10, 1980, came within 19 miles. Of the 44, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 13 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 11. The most recent tornado was on September 26, 2015. Of the 753 Texas cities, 91% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than San Diego. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 23 times since 1981, with stones up to 4.25 inches. Of the 753 Texas cities, 90% have more hail reports within 10 miles than San Diego.
Compare San Diego's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near San Diego
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | HaroldAug 22 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2010 | HermineSep 7 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | DollyJul 24 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2003 | ClaudetteJul 16 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | BretAug 23 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | FrancesSep 11 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | CharleyAug 22 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1993 | ArleneJun 20 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | AllenAug 10 | 44 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1978 | AmeliaJul 31 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | FernSep 12 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | CeliaAug 4 | 39 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1967 | BeulahSep 21 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1960 | Unnamed 1960 stormJun 24 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1958 | EllaSep 6 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | AliceJun 26 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormSep 13 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJun 27 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJul 25 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormSep 15 | 12 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormAug 19 | 8 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormJun 28 | overhead | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormOct 17 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormSep 15 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 26 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormSep 23 | 54 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 13 | 72 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 16 | 70 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 5 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormAug 17 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 30 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormJun 26 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in San Diego: 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 San Diego
By decade
- 2010s5
- 2000s8
- 1990s8
- 1980s2
- 1970s2
- 1960s16
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 1980 | F2 | 19 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 18, 1965 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 1, 1962 | F2 | 19 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 2014 | EF1 | 20 mi | 2.34 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 2009 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.23 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 20, 2005 | F1 | 17 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1996 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 1993 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 1974 | F1 | 10 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 1971 | F1 | 7 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 21, 1967 | F1 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 21, 1967 | F1 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 44, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in San Diego
The Storm Prediction Center has 23 hail reports within 10 miles of San Diego since 1981, made on 19 separate days. Of these, 16 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4.25 inches, fell on March 31, 2013. The most recent report is from November 1, 2025. April has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in San Diego
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Alice, TX, 19 miles east of San Diego at 201 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 97°F and low of 76°F; January is the coolest, at 68°F and 47°F. September is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and April the driest at 1.0 inches; the year adds up to 27.2 inches over 34 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 62% of the year's precipitation (17.0 of 27.2 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 32 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (12); a normal September there has highs of 93°F and 5.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 143 days a year, almost all from March to November. Lows fall below freezing on about 4 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.5 inches a year, most of it in December. That 27.2 inches is more than at 90 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (29%). Freer, 21 miles northwest, has its own station (Freer, TX): 25.2 inches a year, 2.0 less than here, and an August average high of 98°F against 97°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | 47 | 1.3 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 73 | 52 | 1.4 | 2 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 79 | 58 | 1.7 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 86 | 64 | 1.0 | 2 | 0.0 |
| May | 90 | 71 | 3.5 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 96 | 75 | 2.3 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 97 | 76 | 2.5 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 97 | 76 | 2.6 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 93 | 73 | 5.3 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 87 | 65 | 2.7 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 77 | 56 | 1.6 | 2 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 71 | 50 | 1.3 | 2 | 0.5 |
| Year | 84 | 64 | 27.2 | 34 | 0.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Alice, TX (201 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 San Diego
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 26 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of San Diego: 20 thunderstorm wind reports and 6 flash floods. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $598,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on October 27, 2005. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 91 have had fewer than San Diego.
October 27, 2005: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of San Diego — 1 injured, $150,000 damage.
NWS: “An NWS storm survey concluded straight line winds severely damaged roughly 15 homes, a community center and church. Nearly all the damage was observed on the northwest sides of the structres with debris scattered to the southeast.”
May 15, 2008: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of San Diego — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Numerous large tree limbs were snapped and a few trees completely uprooted. Several power poles were blown down.”
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
Duval County, which includes San Diego, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1967, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 3 fires, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storms, on February 19, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Duval County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hail; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes and heat waves; Very Low for inland flooding, strong wind and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $9.9 million a year, the 146th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $1.8 million (19%), 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 San Diego
- Alice, TX18 mi
- Freer, TX21 mi
- Premont, TX27 mi
- Orange Grove, TX27 mi
- Kingsville, TX34 mi
- Falfurrias, TX35 mi
- Bishop, TX37 mi
- Sandia, TX38 mi
- Hebbronville, TX41 mi
- George West, TX42 mi
- Robstown, TX43 mi
- Mathis, TX44 mi
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