NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Swainsboro, GA
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
58 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Swainsboro, Georgia since 1851, 7 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 49 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 7
- Tropical storms
- 51
- Tornadoes
- 49
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Swainsboro
The strongest storm to pass near Swainsboro was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 2 hurricane with 99 mph winds when its centre passed 68 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1894, whose centre came within 35 miles. The record near Swainsboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 46 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 7 systems. Of the 58 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Swainsboro has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 74% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 49 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on May 11, 2008, came within 20 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on July 22, 1970, killed 1 person. Of the 49, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 29 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on April 6, 2022. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 89% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Swainsboro. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 23 times since 1993, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 89% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Swainsboro.
Compare Swainsboro's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Swainsboro
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | overhead | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 72 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 64 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 7 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 30 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 29 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 65 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | overhead | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 72 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 35 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 68 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 49 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Swainsboro: 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 Swainsboro
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s8
- 2000s14(2 EF3+)
- 1990s7
- 1980s5
- 1970s6(1 EF3+)
- 1960s1
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | 23 mi | 7.32 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | 20 mi | 7.66 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 13, 1972 | F3 | 18 mi | 33.6 mi | 0 / 21 |
| Jul 22, 1970 | F2 | 14 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 5, 2017 | EF2 | 23 mi | 20.19 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 21, 2014 | EF2 | 21 mi | 17.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 24 mi | 1.15 mi | 0 / 3 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 11 mi | 7.49 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Dec 15, 2007 | EF2 | 23 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2007 | EF2 | 12 mi | 5.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 23 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 49, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Swainsboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 23 hail reports within 10 miles of Swainsboro since 1993, made on 21 separate days. Of these, 9 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently May 5, 2007. The most recent report is from April 23, 2018. May has the most reports, 7.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Swainsboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Kite, GA, 14 miles northwest of Swainsboro at 311 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 35°F. June is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 49.0 inches. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (25.3 of 49.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 58 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (21); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 4.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 94 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 50 nights a year. That 49.0 inches is more than at 34 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (31%). Twin City, 11 miles east, has its own station (Metter, GA): 47.2 inches a year, 1.8 less than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 35 | 4.3 |
| Feb | 62 | 37 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 69 | 43 | 4.4 |
| Apr | 77 | 49 | 3.4 |
| May | 84 | 58 | 3.2 |
| Jun | 90 | 67 | 5.3 |
| Jul | 93 | 70 | 5.0 |
| Aug | 91 | 69 | 5.0 |
| Sep | 87 | 63 | 4.0 |
| Oct | 78 | 52 | 2.9 |
| Nov | 68 | 41 | 3.1 |
| Dec | 60 | 36 | 4.3 |
| Year | 76 | 52 | 49.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Kite, GA (311 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 Swainsboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 54 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Swainsboro: 48 thunderstorm wind reports, 3 flash floods, 2 floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $376,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on June 6, 2014.
December 25, 2006: thunderstorm wind in Swainsboro — $150,000 damage.
NWS: “The Emanuel County Emergency Management Director reported that strong thunderstorm wind gusts blew down 10-12 large pine trees in the Swainsboro area. In addition, the front wall of a brick warehouse was blown down and several plate glass windows were blown out.”
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
Emanuel County, which includes Swainsboro, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Emanuel County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $8.9 million a year, the 79th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.9 million (32%), 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 Swainsboro
- Twin City, GA11 mi
- Adrian, GA14 mi
- Wadley, GA19 mi
- Soperton, GA21 mi
- Metter, GA21 mi
- Wrightsville, GA22 mi
- Portal, GA24 mi
- Millen, GA25 mi
- Vidalia, GA27 mi
- East Dublin, GA28 mi
- Louisville, GA28 mi
- Lyons, GA30 mi
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