NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Sterrett, 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
17 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Sterrett, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 148 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 16 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 17
- Tornadoes
- 148
- EF3 or stronger
- 16
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
195 deaths in all
What the records show for Sterrett
None of the 17 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Sterrett; the strongest was Eloise in 1975, a tropical storm with 68 mph winds when its centre passed 56 miles away. The record near Sterrett begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm directly overhead. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 17 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 323 Alabama cities on this site, 54% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Sterrett. The highest rating among the 148 tornadoes within 25 miles is F5, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 8, 1998, came within 23 miles. The deadliest, an EF4 on April 27, 2011, killed 64 people. Of the 148, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 80 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 38. The most recent tornado was on March 15, 2025. Sterrett has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 62% of the 323 Alabama cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 59 times since 1959, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Sterrett has more hail reports within 10 miles than 51% of the 323 Alabama cities.
Compare Sterrett's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Sterrett
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | overhead | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | IvanSep 16 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | JuanNov 1 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 29 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Sterrett: 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 Sterrett
By decade
- 2020s17(3 EF3+)
- 2010s27(3 EF3+)
- 2000s36
- 1990s12(1 EF3+)
- 1980s11
- 1970s21(4 EF3+)
- 1960s15(3 EF3+)
- 1950s9(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 1998 | F5 | 23 mi | 30.3 mi | 32 / 259 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F5 | 17 mi | 14.7 mi | 22 / 130 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 20 mi | 80.68 mi | 64 / 1500 |
| Apr 15, 1956 | F4 | 17 mi | 21.3 mi | 25 / 200 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 20 mi | 97.33 mi | 22 / 85 |
| Jan 24, 1964 | F4 | 8 mi | 3.3 mi | 10 / 6 |
| May 27, 1973 | F4 | 15 mi | 139.1 mi | 7 / 199 |
| Mar 5, 1963 | F4 | 13 mi | 14.9 mi | 0 / 35 |
| Jan 25, 2021 | EF3 | 20 mi | 10.4 mi | 1 / 30 |
| Jan 23, 2012 | EF3 | 19 mi | 15.69 mi | 1 / 75 |
| Jan 10, 1975 | F3 | 17 mi | 18.8 mi | 1 / 60 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 15 mi | 41.6 mi | 1 / 44 |
The strongest 12 of 148, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Sterrett
The Storm Prediction Center has 59 hail reports within 10 miles of Sterrett since 1959, made on 42 separate days. Of these, 35 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on March 21, 1959. The most recent report is from August 9, 2023. April has the most reports, 18.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Sterrett
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Childersburg Wtp, AL, 14 miles southeast of Sterrett at 418 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 58°F and 34°F. February is the wettest at 6.0 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 56.0 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 44% of the year's precipitation (24.7 of 56.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. Highs reach 90°F on about 87 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 58 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.1 inches a year, most of it in March. That 56.0 inches is more than at 31 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (29%). Chelsea, 9 miles southwest, has its own station (Helena, AL): 55.7 inches a year, 0.3 less than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 34 | 5.5 | 8 | 0.4 |
| Feb | 63 | 38 | 6.0 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Mar | 71 | 43 | 5.4 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Apr | 79 | 50 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 85 | 59 | 4.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 91 | 67 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 93 | 70 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 93 | 69 | 4.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 88 | 63 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 79 | 51 | 3.3 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 68 | 41 | 4.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 60 | 36 | 5.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Year | 77 | 52 | 56.0 | 79 | 1.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Childersburg Wtp, AL (418 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 Sterrett
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 105 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Sterrett: 87 thunderstorm wind reports, 13 flash floods, 3 lightning strikes and 2 floods. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $721,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on March 19, 1998. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 162 have had fewer than Sterrett.
July 24, 2017: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Sterrett — 1 injured.
March 19, 1998: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Sterrett — $380,000 damage.
August 14, 2010: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Sterrett — $150,000 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
Shelby County, which includes Sterrett, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 severe storms, 8 hurricanes, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on December 21, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Shelby County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes and hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $105.8 million a year, the 5th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $55.6 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.