NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit St Augustine, 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
81 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of St Augustine, Florida since 1851, 20 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Eta in 2020. Since 1950, 102 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 20
- Tropical storms
- 61
- Tornadoes
- 102
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for St Augustine
The strongest storm to pass near St Augustine was an unnamed storm in 1898, a Category 4 hurricane with 132 mph winds when its centre passed 56 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Dora in 1964, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near St Augustine begins with an unnamed storm in 1853; the most recent system was Eta in 2020, a tropical storm 43 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 9 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 81 systems, 12 have come since 2000. Of the 407 Florida cities on this site, 71% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than St Augustine. The highest rating among the 102 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on February 7, 1971, came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F0 on February 2, 1996, killed 1 person. Of the 102, 13 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 53 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 26. The most recent tornado was on May 29, 2025. Of the 407 Florida cities, 68% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than St Augustine. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 55 times since 1986, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). St Augustine has more hail reports within 10 miles than 64% of the 407 Florida cities.
Compare St Augustine's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near St Augustine
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 7 | 41 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 28 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 22 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoAug 31 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | TammyOct 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 27 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2002 | EdouardSep 5 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | IsabelOct 10 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | BobJul 24 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 28 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1984 | DianaSep 10 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 30 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 27 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 9 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1968 | DollyAug 11 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | BrendaJun 20 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 6 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormOct 18 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 10 | 2 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 28 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 11 | 25 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 16 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | KingOct 18 | 50 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1950 | EasySep 7 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 4 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 24 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 19 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 30 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormJul 30 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1930 | Unnamed 1930 stormSep 10 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 24 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 28 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1921 | Unnamed 1921 stormOct 26 | 65 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 30 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 15 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormAug 30 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 5 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 56 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 21 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 70 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 15 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 41 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 27 | 44 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormJun 17 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 30 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 30 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 19 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 1 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 24 | 40 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 10 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 8 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 28 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 11 | 2 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 27 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 23 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 7 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 18 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 7 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 15 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 8 | 55 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 20 | 49 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in St Augustine: 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 St Augustine
By decade
- 2020s11
- 2010s15
- 2000s27
- 1990s17
- 1980s5
- 1970s16(1 EF3+)
- 1960s8
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7, 1971 | F3 | 2 mi | 13.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 1958 | F3 | 4 mi | 3.6 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Dec 5, 1977 | F2 | 19 mi | 9.4 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Oct 12, 2023 | EF2 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 10, 2017 | EF2 | 13 mi | 1.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 29, 2001 | F2 | 21 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 24, 1995 | F2 | 13 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Mar 18, 1975 | F2 | 3 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | 20 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 4, 1973 | F2 | 15 mi | 39 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jan 22, 1972 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 4 |
| May 22, 1967 | F2 | 19 mi | 17.4 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 102, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in St Augustine
The Storm Prediction Center has 55 hail reports within 10 miles of St Augustine since 1986, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 30 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on April 10, 2018. The most recent report is from June 10, 2025. March has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in St Augustine
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is St Augustine Lighthouse, FL, 5 miles east of St Augustine at 12 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 68°F and 48°F. August and September are the wettest at 7.2 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 50.7 inches over 74 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 64% of the year's precipitation (32.3 of 50.7 inches); the other six months are drier. October has brought the most of the 81 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (26); a normal October there has highs of 82°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 62 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 5 nights a year. That 50.7 inches is more than at 22 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (18%). Elkton, 8 miles southwest, has its own station (Hastings 4NE, FL): 56.2 inches a year, 5.5 more than here, and the same July average high, 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | 48 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Feb | 70 | 50 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Mar | 74 | 55 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Apr | 80 | 61 | 2.9 | 4 |
| May | 85 | 67 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Jun | 89 | 72 | 6.3 | 8 |
| Jul | 91 | 74 | 4.9 | 8 |
| Aug | 90 | 74 | 7.2 | 11 |
| Sep | 87 | 73 | 7.2 | 9 |
| Oct | 82 | 67 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Nov | 75 | 58 | 2.3 | 4 |
| Dec | 69 | 51 | 3.0 | 4 |
| Year | 80 | 62 | 50.7 | 74 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at St Augustine Lighthouse, FL (12 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 St Augustine
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 230 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of St Augustine: 142 thunderstorm wind reports, 46 heavy rain events, 23 floods, 14 lightning strikes and 5 flash floods. They killed 0 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on May 4, 1998. October has had the most flash floods, 3 of 5. Of the 277 Florida cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 143 have had fewer than St Augustine.
July 12, 2025: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of St Augustine — 3 injured.
NWS: “Three individuals were struck by lightning at the Saint Augustine Beach Pier. Officials said an elderly man was transported in critical condition to a local trauma center and the other person was transported with minor injuries to a local hospital.”
October 1, 2012: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of St Augustine — 1 injured.
NWS: “A 39 year old male was struck by lightning while flying a kite in a metal harness with his son. There was light rain at the time, then the first observed lightning strike struck the man.”
May 17, 2016: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of St Augustine — 1 injured.
NWS: “A citizen was standing on a balcony in a residential section between Butler Beach and Crescent Beach and was struck by lightning. The victim was in critical condition at the hospital.”
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 St Augustine's 5 ZIP codes have filed 6,233 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $207.5 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Matthew in 2016: 2,948 claims (47% of all) and $129.0 million, then Hurricane Irma in 2017 with 1,305 and Hurricane Ian in 2022 with 602. 91% 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, 325 have fewer than St Augustine.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew2016 | 2,948 | $129.0 million |
| Hurricane Irma2017 | 1,305 | $41.9 million |
| Hurricane Ian2022 | 602 | $23.5 million |
| Hurricane Nicole2022 | 278 | $4.2 million |
| Hurricane Floyd1999 | 145 | $1.5 million |
| Torrential rain2001 | 137 | $524,000 |
St. Johns County, which includes St Augustine, has been named in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 21 hurricanes, 4 tropical storms, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton, on October 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives St. Johns County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes, coastal flooding and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Low for strong wind; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $97.0 million a year, the 30th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $51.5 million (53%), 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).
St Augustine in the notable storm records: Hurricane Irma (2017) · Hurricane Matthew (2016)
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near St Augustine
- Elkton, FL8 mi
- Hastings, FL17 mi
- Saint Johns, FL20 mi
- East Palatka, FL20 mi
- Ponte Vedra Beach, FL21 mi
- Green Cove Springs, FL22 mi
- Palatka, FL24 mi
- Palm Coast, FL26 mi
- Fleming Island, FL28 mi
- Jacksonville Beach, FL28 mi
- Satsuma, FL28 mi
- Orange Park, FL29 mi
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