NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Section, 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
7 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Section, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 157 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 27 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 157
- EF3 or stronger
- 27
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
65 deaths in all
What the records show for Section
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Section; the strongest was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 42 miles away. The record near Section begins with an unnamed storm in 1892; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020. The busiest decade was the 1970s, with 2 systems. Of the 7 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 323 Alabama cities on this site, 90% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Section. The strongest of the 157 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF5 on April 27, 2011; its path came within 8 miles, and it killed 25 people. Of the 157, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 103 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 60. The most recent tornado was on May 25, 2025. Section has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 70% of the 323 Alabama cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 85 times since 1973, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Section has more hail reports within 10 miles than 72% of the 323 Alabama cities.
Compare Section's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Section
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Section: 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 Section
By decade
- 2020s27(1 EF3+)
- 2010s48(10 EF3+)
- 2000s28(2 EF3+)
- 1990s17(2 EF3+)
- 1980s10(3 EF3+)
- 1970s15(3 EF3+)
- 1960s6(1 EF3+)
- 1950s6(5 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF5 | 8 mi | 33.66 mi | 25 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 5 mi | 46.98 mi | 14 / 50 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 22 mi | 46.88 mi | 6 / 48 |
| Nov 18, 1957 | F4 | 23 mi | 26.1 mi | 3 / 12 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 18 mi | 20.24 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Feb 6, 2008 | EF4 | 12 mi | 10.9 mi | 1 / 12 |
| May 18, 1995 | F4 | 23 mi | 39 mi | 1 / 55 |
| Apr 24, 2010 | EF4 | 20 mi | 16.62 mi | 0 / 5 |
| May 19, 1973 | F4 | 14 mi | 5.4 mi | 0 / 19 |
| Nov 30, 2016 | EF3 | 15 mi | 13.48 mi | 4 / 9 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 24 mi | 46.5 mi | 2 / 7 |
| Apr 8, 1957 | F3 | 20 mi | 38.8 mi | 2 / 90 |
The strongest 12 of 157, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Section
The Storm Prediction Center has 85 hail reports within 10 miles of Section since 1973, made on 65 separate days. Of these, 43 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 5 days, most recently April 10, 2009. The most recent report is from May 3, 2025. April has the most reports, 26.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Section
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Scottsboro, AL, 10 miles northwest of Section at 615 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 50°F and 29°F. December is the wettest at 6.2 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 59.9 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 57 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 75 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.3 inches a year, most of it in February. That 59.9 inches is more than at 75 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (70%). Dutton, 6 miles northeast, has its own station (Scottsboro 2 NE, AL): 55.2 inches a year, 4.7 less than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | 29 | 6.1 | 8 | 0.1 |
| Feb | 55 | 32 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.6 |
| Mar | 63 | 39 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Apr | 72 | 46 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 55 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 86 | 64 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 68 | 5.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 89 | 67 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 84 | 60 | 4.3 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 74 | 48 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 63 | 37 | 4.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 54 | 32 | 6.2 | 8 | 0.1 |
| Year | 72 | 48 | 59.9 | 82 | 1.3 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Scottsboro, AL (615 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 Section
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 325 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Section: 298 thunderstorm wind reports, 12 flash floods, 8 floods, 4 heavy rain events and 3 lightning strikes. They killed 2 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $1.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on March 28, 2021. February has had the most flash floods, 4 of 12. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 144 have had fewer than Section.
February 22, 2019: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Section — 1 killed, 1 injured.
NWS: “A Jeep with 3 teenagers ventured across the spillway/bridge in Bucks Pocket State Park on February 22nd and was swept away by raging floodwaters following record rainfall across the area.”
February 5, 2020: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Section — 1 killed.
NWS: “EMA reported that an 82-year old man was killed when he was swept away in his vehicle after crossing the spillway at Buck Pocket State Park. He was found 11 days later once heavy rainfall subsided in the canyon.”
August 5, 2005: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Section — 2 injured, $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
Jackson County, which includes Section, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 severe storms, 6 hurricanes, 3 tornadoes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Thunderstorms, on July 10, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Jackson County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $29.4 million a year, the 25th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $13.5 million (46%), 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 Section
- Dutton, AL6 mi
- Fyffe, AL7 mi
- Rainsville, AL9 mi
- Scottsboro, AL10 mi
- Sylvania, AL11 mi
- Hollywood, AL14 mi
- Pisgah, AL14 mi
- Henagar, AL16 mi
- Woodville, AL16 mi
- Fort Payne, AL17 mi
- Grant, AL17 mi
- Crossville, AL17 mi
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