NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Sebastian, FL
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
87 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Sebastian, Florida since 1851, 28 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Milton in 2024. Since 1950, 104 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 28
- Tropical storms
- 59
- Tornadoes
- 104
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
7 deaths in all
What the records show for Sebastian
The strongest storm to pass near Sebastian was Matthew in 2016, a Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds when its centre passed 41 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Erin in 1995, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near Sebastian begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Milton in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 43 miles away. Of the 87 systems, 16 have come since 2000. Sebastian has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 62% of the 407 Florida cities on this site. The highest rating among the 104 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on October 9, 2024, came within 11 miles. Of the 104, 10 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 49 have come since 2000. October has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on September 7, 2025. Of the 407 Florida cities, 66% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Sebastian. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 27 times since 1984, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 407 Florida cities, 66% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Sebastian.
Compare Sebastian's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Sebastian
Of the 87 tracks on the map, 31 were moving northeast as they passed Sebastian, 24 northwest and 19 north. Matthew (2016), the strongest pass, was heading northwest; its centre passed 41 miles northeast of Sebastian. Within 75 miles of Sebastian, 17 of the 87 came ashore, 12 of them as hurricanes. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 18 came near Sebastian: 6.0 a decade, against 4.8 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | MiltonOct 10 | 43 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 10 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2022 | IanSep 29 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2022 | AlexJun 4 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 2 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 7 | 41 mi | Category 3 (125 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 13 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 1 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2008 | FayAug 20 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoAug 30 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | WilmaOct 24 | 59 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | TammyOct 5 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 26 | 34 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 5 | 30 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 72 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2001 | GabrielleSep 15 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | IreneOct 16 | 23 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | MitchNov 5 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | JerryAug 24 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | ErinAug 2 | 2 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1994 | GordonNov 16 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | KeithNov 23 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | BobJul 24 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 27 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1984 | DianaSep 9 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1983 | BarryAug 25 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1981 | DennisAug 18 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 3 | 4 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | DottieAug 19 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1974 | Unnamed 1974 stormOct 7 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | DollyAug 10 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | BrendaJun 19 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 5 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1964 | IsbellOct 15 | 56 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 27 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | FlorenceSep 24 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | JudithOct 18 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 16 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJun 20 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | HazelOct 9 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | Unnamed 1953 stormJul 12 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormFeb 3 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1951 | HowOct 2 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1950 | KingOct 18 | 44 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 27 | 53 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 22 | 41 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormNov 2 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 12 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 30 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 21 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 4 | 41 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormJul 30 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 17 | 53 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 8 | 11 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 28 | 23 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 1 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1921 | Unnamed 1921 stormOct 16 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormAug 25 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 1 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 26 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 29 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 2 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 21 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormOct 9 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 71 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 12 | 55 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 27 | 44 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormOct 25 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormOct 7 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormOct 6 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 8 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 24 | 20 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 29 | 26 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormJul 2 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormOct 20 | 10 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormOct 7 | 8 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 25 | 5 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 17 | 33 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1870 | Unnamed 1870 stormOct 21 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormOct 23 | 66 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 17 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 1 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormOct 28 | 55 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 14 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormSep 12 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Sebastian: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Check hail and hurricane history for any address
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Sebastian
By decade
- 2020s15(1 EF3+)
- 2010s16
- 2000s18
- 1990s17
- 1980s13
- 1970s11
- 1960s11
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2024 | EF3 | 11 mi | 21.24 mi | 6 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 1958 | F3 | 21 mi | 14.8 mi | 0 / 20 |
| Nov 15, 1994 | F2 | 6 mi | 2.5 mi | 1 / 40 |
| Apr 6, 2017 | EF2 | 23 mi | 4.12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 24, 2005 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 7, 1983 | F2 | 25 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 3, 1979 | F2 | 20 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 18, 1972 | F2 | 16 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Feb 3, 1970 | F2 | 6 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 1, 1967 | F2 | 25 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 10, 1963 | F2 | 3 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 9, 2024 | EF1 | 17 mi | 6.75 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 104, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Sebastian
The Storm Prediction Center has 27 hail reports within 10 miles of Sebastian since 1984, made on 24 separate days. Of these, 13 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently May 24, 2025. The most recent report is from May 24, 2025.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Sebastian
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Vero Beach 4SE, FL, 11 miles southeast of Sebastian at 20 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 76°F; January is the coolest, at 73°F and 54°F. August and September are the wettest at 7.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 56.4 inches over 84 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 66% of the year's precipitation (37.5 of 56.4 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 87 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (25); a normal August there has highs of 90°F and 7.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 57 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 2 nights a year. That 56.4 inches is more than at 82 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (66%). Grant, 10 miles north, has its own station (Melbourne International Airport, FL): 50.9 inches a year, 5.5 less than here, and an August average high of 89°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73 | 54 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Feb | 75 | 56 | 2.5 | 4 |
| Mar | 78 | 59 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Apr | 82 | 64 | 2.9 | 5 |
| May | 86 | 69 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Jun | 89 | 74 | 6.8 | 10 |
| Jul | 91 | 75 | 6.2 | 9 |
| Aug | 90 | 76 | 7.6 | 10 |
| Sep | 89 | 75 | 7.6 | 11 |
| Oct | 85 | 70 | 6.1 | 8 |
| Nov | 80 | 63 | 3.2 | 6 |
| Dec | 75 | 58 | 2.8 | 5 |
| Year | 83 | 66 | 56.4 | 84 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Vero Beach 4SE, FL (20 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 Sebastian
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 37 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Sebastian: 21 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 floods, 4 lightning strikes, 2 flash floods and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $7.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on August 3, 2002.
August 14, 2023: lightning strike 5 miles from the centre of Sebastian — 2 injured.
August 19, 2008: flood 4 miles from the centre of Sebastian — 1 injured, $5.0 million damage.
August 7, 2011: lightning strike 2 miles from the centre of Sebastian — 1 injured.
NWS: “The current from the lightning strike reportedly passed through the water, went through the boat's motor, metal steering cables and into the wheel that the man held. The strike caused the man to lose consciousness and temporarily stopped his heart.”
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
Flood insurance policyholders in Sebastian's ZIP code 32958 have filed 249 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $3.9 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Jeanne in 2004: 109 claims (44% of all) and $2.7 million, then Hurricane Frances in 2004 with 58 and Hurricane Irene in 1999 with 12. 86% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 340 Florida cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 163 have fewer than Sebastian.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Jeanne2004 | 109 | $2.7 million |
| Hurricane Frances2004 | 58 | $833,000 |
| Hurricane Irene1999 | 12 | $4,410 |
Indian River County, which includes Sebastian, has been named in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 22 hurricanes, 5 fires, 2 biological emergencies, 1 severe storm). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton, on October 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Indian River County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes; Relatively High for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding and coastal flooding; Relatively Low for heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $163.1 million a year, the 18th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $132.1 million (81%), 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 Sebastian
- Barefoot Bay, FL6 mi
- Fellsmere, FL7 mi
- Grant, FL10 mi
- Vero Beach, FL10 mi
- Malabar, FL14 mi
- Melbourne Beach, FL16 mi
- Palm Bay, FL17 mi
- Indialantic, FL22 mi
- Fort Pierce, FL25 mi
- Melbourne, FL27 mi
- Indian Harbour Beach, FL27 mi
- Port St Lucie, FL36 mi
All Florida cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Sebastian with another place →