NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Wadley, 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
21 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Wadley, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 75 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 7 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 21
- Tornadoes
- 75
- EF3 or stronger
- 7
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
24 deaths in all
What the records show for Wadley
None of the 21 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Wadley; the strongest was Eloise in 1975, a tropical storm with 67 mph winds when its centre passed 3 miles away. The record near Wadley begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 49 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 21 systems, one has come since 2000. Wadley has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 57% of the 323 Alabama cities on this site. The highest rating among the 75 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 25, 2021, came within 24 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on January 12, 2023, killed 7 people. Of the 75, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 45 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 15. The most recent tornado was on March 15, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 95% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Wadley. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 21 times since 1988, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 323 Alabama cities, 91% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Wadley.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Wadley
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | JuanNov 1 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 15 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | overhead | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Wadley: 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 Wadley
By decade
- 2020s14(3 EF3+)
- 2010s12(1 EF3+)
- 2000s19
- 1990s5(1 EF3+)
- 1980s15
- 1970s6(1 EF3+)
- 1960s2
- 1950s2(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 16 mi | 44.18 mi | 7 / 30 |
| May 1, 1953 | F4 | 15 mi | 12.1 mi | 7 / 12 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF4 | 24 mi | 38.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | 11 mi | 82.31 mi | 7 / 16 |
| Jan 26, 1974 | F3 | 6 mi | 21.3 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF3 | 6 mi | 20.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 18, 1996 | F3 | 21 mi | 24 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF2 | 12 mi | 34.04 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F2 | 14 mi | 45.5 mi | 1 / 6 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 14 mi | 20.74 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF2 | in town | 31.29 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 3, 1984 | F2 | 22 mi | 13 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 75, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Wadley
The Storm Prediction Center has 21 hail reports within 10 miles of Wadley since 1988, made on 16 separate days. Of these, 10 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on April 25, 1988. The most recent report is from April 5, 2017. April has the most reports, 9.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Wadley
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Ashland 3 ENE, AL, 16 miles northwest of Wadley at 1,022 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 55°F and 31°F. January is the wettest at 6.1 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 3.5 inches; the year adds up to 59.7 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (26.7 of 59.7 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 21 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 3.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 40 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 65 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.6 inches a year, most of it in March. That 59.7 inches is more than at 73 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (68%). Roanoke, 12 miles east, has its own station (Rock Mills, AL): 53.1 inches a year, 6.6 less than here, and a July average high of 89°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55 | 31 | 6.1 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 59 | 34 | 6.0 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Mar | 67 | 40 | 6.0 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Apr | 74 | 47 | 4.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 81 | 55 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 63 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 67 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 89 | 66 | 5.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 84 | 60 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 76 | 49 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 66 | 38 | 4.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 57 | 33 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.5 |
| Year | 74 | 48 | 59.7 | 78 | 1.6 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Ashland 3 ENE, AL (1,022 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 Wadley
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 48 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Wadley: 42 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $337,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on January 21, 2012.
February 6, 2020: flood 8 miles from the centre of Wadley — 1 injured.
NWS: “Several road washed out across northern Randolph County with 3-4 inches of rainfall reported during the event. One person injured when driving into area where road washed out.”
July 22, 2008: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Wadley — $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
Randolph County, which includes Wadley, has been named in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 9 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on May 5, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Randolph County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $7.9 million a year, the 54th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.1 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 Wadley
- Roanoke, AL12 mi
- Wedowee, AL14 mi
- Lineville, AL15 mi
- Ashland, AL17 mi
- Lafayette, AL19 mi
- Woodland, AL20 mi
- Camp Hill, AL24 mi
- Jacksons Gap, AL25 mi
- Alexander City, AL26 mi
- Goodwater, AL28 mi
- Dadeville, AL28 mi
- Lanett, AL28 mi
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