NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Tallahassee, 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
80 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Tallahassee, Florida since 1851, 21 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 89 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 21
- Tropical storms
- 59
- Tornadoes
- 89
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Tallahassee
The strongest storm to pass near Tallahassee was Helene in 2024, a Category 3 hurricane with 127 mph winds when its centre passed 40 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1886, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near Tallahassee begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The 1870s and the 2020s were the busiest decades, with 7 systems each. Of the 80 systems, 16 have come since 2000. Of the 407 Florida cities on this site, 66% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Tallahassee. The strongest of the 89 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF3 on March 3, 2019; its path came within 10 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on May 10, 2024, killed 2 people. Of the 89, 15 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 48 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 17. The most recent tornado was on April 7, 2025. Of the 407 Florida cities, 77% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Tallahassee. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 127 times since 1959, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Tallahassee has more hail reports within 10 miles than 92% of the 407 Florida cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Tallahassee
Of the 80 tracks on the map, 37 were moving northeast as they passed Tallahassee, 14 north and 14 northwest. Helene (2024), the strongest pass, was heading north and came ashore 47 miles southeast of Tallahassee. Within 75 miles of Tallahassee, 39 of the 80 came ashore, 15 of them as hurricanes. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 18 came near Tallahassee: 6.0 a decade, against 4.3 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 40 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 65 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 56 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 11 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | FredAug 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 48 mi | Category 3 (125 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 20 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 23 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1994 | BerylAug 16 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 21 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 20 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | Unnamed 1971 stormAug 16 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | BeckyJul 22 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 9 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 11 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | LoveOct 21 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 14 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormSep 20 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 60 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 66 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 28 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJun 13 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 1 | 49 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 3 | 58 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 28 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 15 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 2 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 18 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 31 | 60 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 10 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 22 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 23 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | overhead | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 6 | 68 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 54 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 9 | 16 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 47 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Tallahassee: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Check hail and hurricane history for any address
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Tallahassee
By decade
- 2020s22
- 2010s10(1 EF3+)
- 2000s16
- 1990s6
- 1980s5
- 1970s17
- 1960s10
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF3 | 10 mi | 8.83 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 2024 | EF2 | 2 mi | 24.81 mi | 2 / 0 |
| Jan 30, 1974 | F2 | 15 mi | 3.3 mi | 1 / 4 |
| May 10, 2024 | EF2 | 2 mi | 24.21 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF2 | 25 mi | 5.94 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1972 | F2 | 24 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1972 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1972 | F2 | 22 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 28, 1972 | F2 | 9 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 28, 1972 | F2 | 5 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 29, 1970 | F2 | 24 mi | 5.1 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jun 27, 1970 | F2 | 24 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 89, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Tallahassee
The Storm Prediction Center has 127 hail reports within 10 miles of Tallahassee since 1959, made on 81 separate days. Of these, 63 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently June 10, 1995. The most recent report is from June 25, 2025. June has the most reports, 37.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Tallahassee
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Tallahassee, FL, 5 miles southwest of Tallahassee at 63 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 64°F and 41°F. June is the wettest at 7.8 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 58.7 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 57% of the year's precipitation (33.7 of 58.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 80 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (25); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 4.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 103 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 27 nights a year. That 58.7 inches is more than at 91 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (73%). Midway, 11 miles west, has its own station (Tallahassee Airport, FL): 59.9 inches a year, 1.2 more than here, and a July average high of 93°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 41 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Feb | 68 | 44 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Mar | 74 | 49 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Apr | 80 | 54 | 3.5 | 4 |
| May | 87 | 63 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Jun | 91 | 71 | 7.8 | 10 |
| Jul | 92 | 73 | 7.1 | 11 |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 7.6 | 10 |
| Sep | 89 | 70 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Oct | 82 | 59 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Nov | 73 | 48 | 3.1 | 4 |
| Dec | 66 | 43 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Year | 80 | 57 | 58.7 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Tallahassee, FL (63 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 Tallahassee
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 809 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Tallahassee: 618 thunderstorm wind reports, 82 flash floods, 60 heavy rain events, 26 lightning strikes and 23 floods. They killed 3 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $19.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on April 1, 2005. April has had the most flash floods, 46 of 82. Of the 277 Florida cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 274 have had fewer than Tallahassee.
June 29, 2009: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Tallahassee — 1 killed, 1 injured, $15,000 damage.
NWS: “S. Highway 319/Thomasville Road, including Killearn Lakes.”
April 3, 2012: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Tallahassee — 1 killed, $50,000 damage.
March 3, 2024: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Tallahassee — 1 killed.
NWS: “R. Alford Greenway in Tallahassee.”
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 Tallahassee's 10 ZIP codes have filed 997 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $11.8 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Tropical Storm Allison in 2001: 128 claims (13% of all) and $1.8 million, then Tropical Storm Fay in 2008 with 105 and Hurricane Kate in 1985 with 24. The year with the most claims was 1994, with 177. 36% 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, 243 have fewer than Tallahassee.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Allison2001 | 128 | $1.8 million |
| Tropical Storm Fay2008 | 105 | $2.4 million |
| Hurricane Kate1985 | 24 | $149,000 |
| Tropical Storm Barry2001 | 24 | $95,000 |
| Hurricane Elena1985 | 17 | $105,000 |
| Hurricane Dennis2005 | 10 | $263,000 |
Leon County, which includes Tallahassee, has been named in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 23 of them major disasters (by incident: 19 hurricanes, 6 severe storms, 5 tropical storms, 3 fires). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 28, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Leon County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes, tornadoes and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail; Very Low for coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $142.7 million a year, the 20th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $46.9 million (33%), 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 Tallahassee
- Midway, FL11 mi
- Havana, FL13 mi
- Crawfordville, FL18 mi
- Quincy, FL24 mi
- Monticello, FL24 mi
- Cairo, GA31 mi
- Whigham, GA31 mi
- Bainbridge, GA31 mi
- Climax, GA32 mi
- Thomasville, GA33 mi
- Panacea, FL33 mi
- Chattahoochee, FL36 mi
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