NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Theodore, 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
72 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Theodore, Alabama since 1851, 27 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 197 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 27
- Tropical storms
- 45
- Tornadoes
- 197
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Theodore
The strongest storm to pass near Theodore was Camille in 1969, a Category 5 hurricane with 170 mph winds when its centre passed 74 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1932, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near Theodore begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a Category 1 hurricane 66 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 8 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 72 systems, 12 have come since 2000. Theodore has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 97% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 197 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on November 21, 1997, came within 21 miles. The deadliest, an EF1 on October 27, 2021, killed 1 person. Of the 197, 17 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 103 have come since 2000. October has had the most tornadoes, 30. The most recent tornado was on October 26, 2025. Theodore has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 98% of the 323 Alabama cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 56 times since 1965, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 323 Alabama cities, 50% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Theodore.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Theodore
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 66 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | SallySep 16 | 32 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2018 | GordonSep 5 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | NateOct 8 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 5 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2009 | IdaNov 10 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2005 | DennisJul 10 | 54 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2005 | CindyJul 6 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | ArleneJun 11 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | IvanSep 16 | 19 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | HannaSep 14 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 11 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | GeorgesSep 29 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 19 | 18 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 4 | 65 mi | Category 3 (116 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 3 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1985 | JuanOct 31 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 35 mi | Category 3 (116 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 12 mi | Category 3 (116 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 74 mi | Category 5 (170 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | EthelSep 15 | 47 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1959 | IreneOct 8 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 24 | 54 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | BakerAug 31 | 14 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormJul 9 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 8 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 10 | overhead | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormSep 26 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 13 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormJun 16 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJul 31 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormOct 6 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1 | 8 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 21 | 16 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 26 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormJul 4 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 28 | 65 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 47 mi | Category 2 (108 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 5 | 16 mi | Category 3 (117 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 18 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormSep 14 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 12 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 21 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 27 | 33 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormNov 3 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 10 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 15 | 25 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 13 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1895 | Unnamed 1895 stormAug 16 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormAug 8 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 2 | 21 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 19 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJun 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 27 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 30 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 9 | 73 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 3 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 31 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 19 | 38 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 11 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 15 | 58 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 12 | 22 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 12 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 16 | 63 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 26 | 19 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Theodore: 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 Theodore
By decade
- 2020s51
- 2010s22
- 2000s30
- 1990s17(1 EF3+)
- 1980s23(1 EF3+)
- 1970s30
- 1960s17(2 EF3+)
- 1950s7(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 1997 | F3 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 1982 | F3 | 20 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 3, 1968 | F3 | 17 mi | 70.4 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Apr 18, 1966 | F3 | 21 mi | 23.8 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 18, 1950 | F3 | 10 mi | 14 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Jun 19, 2023 | EF2 | 23 mi | 2.35 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Dec 25, 2012 | EF2 | 11 mi | 5.15 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 9, 2011 | EF2 | 24 mi | 2.05 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 9, 2011 | EF2 | 3 mi | 0.91 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Nov 6, 2000 | F2 | 4 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jul 2, 1989 | F2 | 5 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 1982 | F2 | 24 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 197, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Theodore
The Storm Prediction Center has 56 hail reports within 10 miles of Theodore since 1965, made on 41 separate days. Of these, 29 were 1 inch across or larger, and 4 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 4 days, most recently January 21, 2017. The most recent report is from June 19, 2023. June has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Theodore
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Mobile Dwtn Airport, AL, 9 miles northeast of Theodore at 26 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 75°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 43°F. August is the wettest at 7.1 inches of precipitation on average and February and October the driest at 3.8 inches; the year adds up to 60.6 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (31.9 of 60.6 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 72 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (29); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 4.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 73 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 15 nights a year. That 60.6 inches is more than at 86 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (80%). Irvington, 6 miles southwest, has its own station (Coden, AL): 69.0 inches a year, 8.4 more than here, and an August average high of 88°F against 92°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Coast Guard Sector Mobile, AL, 10 miles northeast, averaged 87°F in August and 56°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from June to September. Sea level at the Mobile State Docks tide gauge, 14 miles from Theodore, has risen 1.82 ± 0.24 inches per decade from 1980 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 18.2 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 113 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 43 | 5.2 | 6 | 56 |
| Feb | 66 | 46 | 3.8 | 5 | 58 |
| Mar | 72 | 52 | 5.1 | 5 | 65 |
| Apr | 78 | 59 | 4.9 | 5 | 71 |
| May | 85 | 66 | 4.4 | 5 | 79 |
| Jun | 90 | 73 | 5.8 | 8 | 84 |
| Jul | 92 | 75 | 6.6 | 9 | 86 |
| Aug | 92 | 75 | 7.1 | 9 | 87 |
| Sep | 89 | 72 | 4.5 | 6 | 84 |
| Oct | 81 | 61 | 3.8 | 4 | 76 |
| Nov | 72 | 50 | 4.1 | 4 | 68 |
| Dec | 64 | 45 | 5.3 | 7 | 61 |
| Year | 79 | 60 | 60.6 | 72 | 73 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Mobile Dwtn Airport, AL (26 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Coast Guard Sector Mobile, AL, from NOAA Tides & Currents. 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 Theodore
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 149 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Theodore: 85 thunderstorm wind reports, 51 flash floods, 6 heavy rain events, 6 lightning strikes and 1 flood. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $857,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on July 21, 2000. June has had the most flash floods, 20 of 51. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 285 have had fewer than Theodore.
August 18, 2008: lightning strike 1 mile from the centre of Theodore — 1 injured.
May 4, 2019: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Theodore — 1 injured.
NWS: “High winds broke two large windows at Mobile Greyhound Park.”
January 21, 2017: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Theodore — $300,000 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Theodore's ZIP code 36582 have filed 888 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $25.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Katrina in 2005: 309 claims (35% of all) and $17.3 million, then Hurricane Georges in 1998 with 194 and Hurricane Frederic in 1979 with 74. 83% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 118 Alabama cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 112 have fewer than Theodore.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina2005 | 309 | $17.3 million |
| Hurricane Georges1998 | 194 | $3.3 million |
| Hurricane Frederic1979 | 74 | $710,000 |
| Hurricane Danny1997 | 60 | $1.1 million |
| Hurricane Ivan2004 | 26 | $110,000 |
| Tropical Storm Isidore2002 | 22 | $148,000 |
Mobile County, which includes Theodore, has been named in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 26 hurricanes, 9 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on January 15, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Mobile County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively High for tornadoes, inland flooding and coastal flooding; Relatively Moderate for hail, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $298.2 million a year, the highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $178.2 million (60%), is from hurricanes.
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 Theodore
- Irvington, AL6 mi
- Mobile, AL9 mi
- Grand Bay, AL10 mi
- Coden, AL10 mi
- Prichard, AL15 mi
- Whistler, AL16 mi
- Chickasaw, AL17 mi
- Fairhope, AL17 mi
- Semmes, AL17 mi
- Daphne, AL18 mi
- Eight Mile, AL18 mi
- Spanish Fort, AL19 mi
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