NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Talking Rock, 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
7 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Talking Rock, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 78 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 78
- EF3 or stronger
- 8
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
32 deaths in all
What the records show for Talking Rock
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Talking Rock; the strongest was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm with 56 mph winds when its centre passed 10 miles away. The record near Talking Rock begins with an unnamed storm in 1902; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 60 miles away. The 1900s and the 2020s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. Of the 7 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 95% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Talking Rock. The highest rating among the 78 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 27, 1994, came within 12 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on March 27, 1994, killed 9 people. Of the 78, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 40 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 23. The most recent tornado was on May 25, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Talking Rock. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 66 times since 1994, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Talking Rock has more hail reports within 10 miles than 56% of the 405 Georgia cities.
Compare Talking Rock's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Talking Rock
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Talking Rock: 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 Talking Rock
By decade
- 2020s16
- 2010s15(3 EF3+)
- 2000s9
- 1990s11(3 EF3+)
- 1980s5
- 1970s13(2 EF3+)
- 1960s5
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 20 mi | 29.5 mi | 9 / 67 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 16 mi | 17.7 mi | 6 / 30 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F4 | 12 mi | 49 mi | 3 / 20 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 6 mi | 40 mi | 9 / 70 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 17 mi | 44 mi | 3 / 45 |
| Jan 30, 2013 | EF3 | 13 mi | 21.78 mi | 1 / 17 |
| Dec 22, 2011 | EF3 | 20 mi | 11.42 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 5 mi | 23.05 mi | 0 / 25 |
| Nov 11, 2002 | F2 | 11 mi | 23 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Nov 11, 2002 | F2 | 24 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F2 | 24 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1985 | F2 | 23 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 78, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Talking Rock
The Storm Prediction Center has 66 hail reports within 10 miles of Talking Rock since 1994, made on 51 separate days. Of these, 34 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on March 27, 2005. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. May has the most reports, 18.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Talking Rock
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Jasper 1 NNW, GA, 6 miles southeast of Talking Rock at 1,465 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 31°F. March is the wettest at 5.9 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 4.0 inches; the year adds up to 58.7 inches over 85 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 12 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 61 nights a year. Snowfall averages 2.5 inches a year, most of it in December. That 58.7 inches is more than at 98 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (91%). Rydal, 18 miles southwest, has its own station (Allatoona Dam 2, GA): 51.6 inches a year, 7.1 less than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 85°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 31 | 5.5 | 8 | 0.7 |
| Feb | 52 | 34 | 5.0 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Mar | 60 | 40 | 5.9 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Apr | 68 | 47 | 5.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 75 | 56 | 4.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 82 | 63 | 4.9 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 85 | 67 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 84 | 66 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 79 | 61 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 69 | 50 | 4.0 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 59 | 40 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 51 | 35 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Year | 67 | 49 | 58.7 | 85 | 2.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Jasper 1 NNW, GA (1,465 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 Talking Rock
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 131 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Talking Rock: 102 thunderstorm wind reports, 23 flash floods, 4 lightning strikes, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $7.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on March 23, 2011. August has had the most flash floods, 11 of 23. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 326 have had fewer than Talking Rock.
July 5, 2012: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Talking Rock — $1.8 million damage.
August 1, 2013: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Talking Rock — $1.5 million damage.
August 1, 2013: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Talking Rock — $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “The Gilmer County emergency manager reported a swift water rescue occurred at a home on Avery Drive in the Talona area. Fausett and Turkey Creeks flooded and washed out some roads and a few bridges.”
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
Pickens County, which includes Talking Rock, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 3 ice storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Tornadoes, on May 5, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Pickens County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $11.2 million a year, the 69th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.8 million (52%), 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 Talking Rock
- Jasper, GA8 mi
- Ranger, GA11 mi
- Ellijay, GA11 mi
- Fairmount, GA13 mi
- Waleska, GA15 mi
- Ball Ground, GA15 mi
- Rydal, GA18 mi
- Chatsworth, GA21 mi
- Canton, GA23 mi
- Resaca, GA24 mi
- Blue Ridge, GA24 mi
- White, GA24 mi
All Georgia cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Talking Rock with another place →