NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit South Fulton, TN
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
4 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of South Fulton, Tennessee since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Olga in 2019. Since 1950, 103 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 9 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 4
- Tornadoes
- 103
- EF3 or stronger
- 9
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
68 deaths in all
What the records show for South Fulton
None of the 4 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed South Fulton; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, a tropical storm with 59 mph winds when its centre passed 40 miles away. The record near South Fulton begins with an unnamed storm in 1888; the most recent system was Olga in 2019, a tropical storm 18 miles away. Of the 4 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 339 Tennessee cities on this site, 81% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than South Fulton. The highest rating among the 103 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on December 10, 2021, came within 25 miles. The deadliest, an EF4 on December 10, 2021, killed 57 people. Of the 103, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 66 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 25. The most recent tornado was on November 18, 2025. South Fulton has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 73% of the 339 Tennessee cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 55 times since 1959, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). South Fulton has more hail reports within 10 miles than 54% of the 339 Tennessee cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near South Fulton
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 20 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in South Fulton: 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 South Fulton
By decade
- 2020s28(3 EF3+)
- 2010s25(1 EF3+)
- 2000s13(2 EF3+)
- 1990s7(2 EF3+)
- 1980s6
- 1970s9
- 1960s9(1 EF3+)
- 1950s6
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF4 | 7 mi | 168.53 mi | 57 / 515 |
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF4 | 25 mi | 81.17 mi | 8 / 14 |
| Mar 1, 1997 | F4 | 25 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F3 | 23 mi | 8 mi | 2 / 6 |
| Nov 15, 2005 | F3 | 19 mi | 44 mi | 1 / 20 |
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF3 | 15 mi | 122.62 mi | 0 / 38 |
| May 10, 2016 | EF3 | 20 mi | 19.03 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Nov 27, 1994 | F3 | 9 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 4, 1964 | F3 | 13 mi | 7.2 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF2 | 5 mi | 6.38 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2021 | EF2 | 5 mi | 6.06 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 9, 2017 | EF2 | 11 mi | 10.17 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 103, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in South Fulton
The Storm Prediction Center has 55 hail reports within 10 miles of South Fulton since 1959, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 34 were 1 inch across or larger, and 7 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on July 15, 1971. The most recent report is from November 18, 2025. May has the most reports, 18.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in South Fulton
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Martin U Of T Branch E, TN, 10 miles south of South Fulton at 340 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 46°F and 27°F. May is the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and August the driest at 3.5 inches; the year adds up to 54.8 inches over 81 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 59 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 82 nights a year. Snowfall averages 3.1 inches a year, most of it in February. That 54.8 inches is more than at 47 of the 122 Tennessee stations used on this site (39%). Fulton, KY, 3 miles north, has its own station (Union City, TN): 53.8 inches a year, 1.0 less than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 27 | 4.2 | 7 | 1.2 |
| Feb | 51 | 30 | 4.7 | 7 | 1.4 |
| Mar | 60 | 38 | 5.3 | 9 | 0.4 |
| Apr | 70 | 47 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| May | 79 | 58 | 5.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 4.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 67 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 60 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 72 | 47 | 4.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 60 | 37 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Dec | 49 | 30 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Year | 70 | 48 | 54.8 | 81 | 3.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Martin U Of T Branch E, TN (340 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 South Fulton
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 151 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of South Fulton: 108 thunderstorm wind reports, 22 flash floods, 18 floods and 3 heavy rain events. They killed 2 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $4.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on February 24, 2011. February has had the most flash floods, 5 of 22. Of the 339 Tennessee cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 251 have had fewer than South Fulton.
April 3, 2008: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of South Fulton — 1 killed, $10,000 damage.
April 2, 2025: thunderstorm wind in South Fulton — 1 killed.
NWS: “A tree fell onto a moving vehicle on the roadway in South Fulton.”
May 4, 2021: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of South Fulton — $2.5 million 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
Flood insurance policyholders in South Fulton's ZIP code 38257 have filed 38 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1983, and were paid $249,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 1984, with 18. 8% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 155 Tennessee cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 89 have fewer than South Fulton.
Obion County, which includes South Fulton, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 severe storms, 4 floods, 3 tornadoes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Obion County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail and inland flooding; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $34.9 million a year, the 17th highest of 95 Tennessee counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.5 million (10%), 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 South Fulton
- Fulton, KY3 mi
- Martin, TN9 mi
- Union City, TN11 mi
- Wingo, KY12 mi
- Clinton, KY14 mi
- Dresden, TN16 mi
- Sharon, TN17 mi
- Hickman, KY18 mi
- Troy, TN19 mi
- Kenton, TN21 mi
- Mayfield, KY22 mi
- Gleason, TN24 mi
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