NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Wadley, 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
47 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Wadley, Georgia since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 57 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 44
- Tornadoes
- 57
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Wadley
The strongest storm to pass near Wadley was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 2 hurricane with 97 mph winds when its centre passed 72 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1854, whose centre came within 52 miles. The record near Wadley begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 41 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems. Of the 47 systems, 7 have come since 2000. Wadley has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 66% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 57 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 10, 2009, came within 21 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on July 22, 1970, killed 1 person. Of the 57, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 35 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on September 26, 2024. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 80% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Wadley. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 16 times since 1998, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 96% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Wadley.
Compare Wadley's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Wadley
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 16 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 30 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 25 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 7 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 53 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 72 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 52 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (64 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
- 2020s9
- 2010s13
- 2000s13(1 EF3+)
- 1990s2
- 1980s7
- 1970s9(1 EF3+)
- 1960s2
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF3 | 21 mi | 26.33 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jan 13, 1972 | F3 | 1 mi | 33.6 mi | 0 / 21 |
| Jul 22, 1970 | F2 | 5 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF2 | 20 mi | 16.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 21, 2014 | EF2 | 22 mi | 17.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 8 mi | 7.49 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 23 mi | 22.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2007 | EF2 | 24 mi | 5.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 13 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | F2 | 24 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 1975 | F2 | 24 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Sep 28, 1963 | F2 | 16 mi | 52.8 mi | 0 / 5 |
The strongest 12 of 57, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Wadley
The Storm Prediction Center has 16 hail reports within 10 miles of Wadley since 1998, made on 15 separate days. Of these, 8 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently September 27, 2011. The most recent report is from May 3, 2021. April has the most reports, 5.
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 Louisville 1 E, GA, 10 miles north of Wadley at 322 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 57°F and 34°F. August is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 47.7 inches over 70 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (23.8 of 47.7 inches). September has brought the most of the 47 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (14); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 4.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 79 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 47 nights a year. That 47.7 inches is more than at 20 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (19%). Davisboro, 14 miles northwest, has its own station (Sandersville, GA): 48.7 inches a year, 1.0 more than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 34 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Feb | 61 | 37 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Mar | 68 | 43 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Apr | 76 | 50 | 3.2 | 5 |
| May | 83 | 59 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Jun | 89 | 67 | 4.6 | 7 |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 4.7 | 7 |
| Aug | 90 | 70 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Sep | 85 | 64 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Oct | 76 | 52 | 2.6 | 4 |
| Nov | 67 | 42 | 3.0 | 5 |
| Dec | 59 | 36 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Year | 75 | 52 | 47.7 | 70 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Louisville 1 E, GA (322 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 39 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Wadley: 34 thunderstorm wind reports, 2 flash floods, 2 floods and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $112,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 64 mph, on August 15, 2023.
July 2, 2015: thunderstorm wind in Wadley — 4 injured.
NWS: “The Jefferson County Emergency Manager reported trees down along Clarks Mill Road near and on East Railroad Street in Wadley.”
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
Jefferson County, which includes Wadley, has been named in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Jefferson County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for inland flooding and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $6.6 million a year, the 101st highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.2 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 Wadley
- Louisville, GA10 mi
- Davisboro, GA14 mi
- Swainsboro, GA19 mi
- Wrightsville, GA20 mi
- Wrens, GA23 mi
- Keysville, GA24 mi
- Adrian, GA24 mi
- Tennille, GA25 mi
- Millen, GA25 mi
- Twin City, GA26 mi
- Sandersville, GA26 mi
- Gibson, GA27 mi
All Georgia cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Wadley with another place →