NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Thomasville, 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
73 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Thomasville, Georgia since 1851, 14 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 82 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 14
- Tropical storms
- 59
- Tornadoes
- 82
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
20 deaths in all
What the records show for Thomasville
The strongest storm to pass near Thomasville was Helene in 2024, a Category 3 hurricane with 110 mph winds when its centre passed 27 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1886, whose centre came within 4 miles. The record near Thomasville begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The busiest decade was the 1870s, with 8 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 73 systems, 14 have come since 2000. Thomasville has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 91% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 82 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on March 3, 2019, came within 23 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on January 22, 2017, killed 11 people. Of the 82, 9 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 40 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 21. The most recent tornado was on April 7, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 52% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Thomasville. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 27 times since 1965, with stones up to 4 inches (softball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 83% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Thomasville.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Thomasville
Of the 73 tracks on the map, 36 were moving northeast as they passed Thomasville, 11 northwest and 10 north. Helene (2024), the strongest pass, was heading north and came ashore 60 miles south of Thomasville. Within 75 miles of Thomasville, 22 of the 73 came ashore, 7 of them as hurricanes. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 16 came near Thomasville: 5.3 a decade, against 3.9 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 27 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 53 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 51 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1994 | BerylAug 16 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 14 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | Unnamed 1971 stormAug 16 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | overhead | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 11 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | LoveOct 21 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 63 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 16 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 22 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 49 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 14 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 17 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 4 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 4 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 10 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 15 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 46 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 17 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 42 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Thomasville: 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 Thomasville
By decade
- 2020s15
- 2010s8(2 EF3+)
- 2000s17(2 EF3+)
- 1990s7
- 1980s9
- 1970s16
- 1960s7
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | 25 mi | 24.66 mi | 11 / 45 |
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 16 mi | 15 mi | 7 / 15 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF3 | 23 mi | 8.83 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 19, 2009 | EF3 | 10 mi | 1.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 16 mi | 10 mi | 2 / 12 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 14 mi | 2.68 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF2 | 4 mi | 18.67 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF2 | 2 mi | 10.44 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF2 | 7 mi | 5.94 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2001 | F2 | 20 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Nov 11, 1979 | F2 | 12 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 13, 1972 | F2 | 22 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 82, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Thomasville
The Storm Prediction Center has 27 hail reports within 10 miles of Thomasville since 1965, made on 22 separate days. Of these, 15 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4 inches (softball size), fell on January 28, 1995. The most recent report is from November 9, 2025. March has the most reports, 7.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Thomasville
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Cairo 1SW, GA, 15 miles west of Thomasville at 201 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 38°F. June is the wettest at 7.1 inches of precipitation on average and May the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 51.0 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (27.5 of 51.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 73 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (23); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 78 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 30 nights a year. That 51.0 inches is more than at 54 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (50%). Boston, 11 miles east, has its own station (Monticello 5 SE, FL): 59.9 inches a year, 8.9 more than here, and the same August average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 38 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Feb | 66 | 42 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Apr | 78 | 53 | 3.2 | 5 |
| May | 85 | 62 | 2.6 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 68 | 7.1 | 9 |
| Jul | 90 | 71 | 5.3 | 9 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Sep | 87 | 67 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Oct | 80 | 57 | 3.1 | 4 |
| Nov | 71 | 46 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Dec | 64 | 41 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Year | 78 | 55 | 51.0 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Cairo 1SW, GA (201 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 Thomasville
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 183 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Thomasville: 128 thunderstorm wind reports, 36 flash floods, 14 heavy rain events, 3 floods and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $1.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on February 26, 2008. May has had the most flash floods, 9 of 36. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 355 have had fewer than Thomasville.
June 6, 2012: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Thomasville — 1 injured, $750,000 damage.
NWS: “Significant flash flooding occurred in Thomasville. Between 5 and 8 roads were closed in Thomasville due to high water with cars submerged in many areas.”
December 24, 2014: thunderstorm wind in Thomasville — 1 injured, $15,000 damage.
NWS: “Multiple trees were blown down across the county. One tree fell on a car and injured the woman inside.”
June 22, 2000: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Thomasville — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “A severe thunderstorm downed numerous trees and power lines. Several homes and vehicles were damaged by fallen trees and limbs in Thomasville.”
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 Thomasville's 2 ZIP codes have filed 54 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1980, and were paid $2.4 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 2012, with 13. 9% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 154 Georgia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 86 have fewer than Thomasville.
Thomas County, which includes Thomasville, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 4 tropical storms, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Thomas County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.2 million a year, the 40th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $8.7 million (43%), 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 Thomasville
- Boston, GA11 mi
- Ochlocknee, GA11 mi
- Coolidge, GA13 mi
- Cairo, GA15 mi
- Pavo, GA17 mi
- Meigs, GA18 mi
- Whigham, GA22 mi
- Monticello, FL22 mi
- Pelham, GA22 mi
- Quitman, GA25 mi
- Moultrie, GA25 mi
- Climax, GA29 mi
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