NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Waynesville, 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
96 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Waynesville, Georgia since 1851, 18 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 51 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 18
- Tropical storms
- 78
- Tornadoes
- 51
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Waynesville
The strongest storm to pass near Waynesville was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 3 hurricane with 121 mph winds when its centre passed 65 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1898, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near Waynesville begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 6 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 12 systems, 3 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 96 systems, 14 have come since 2000. Waynesville has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 94% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 51 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 9, 2024, came within 4 miles. Of the 51, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 30 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 8. The most recent tornado was on March 16, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 87% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Waynesville. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 29 times since 1992, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 80% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Waynesville.
Compare Waynesville's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Waynesville
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 73 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 28 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 2 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | IsabelOct 10 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 29 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 41 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 12 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | EasySep 7 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 63 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 40 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 19 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 6 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 40 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 15 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 2 | 2 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 3 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 67 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 54 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 65 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 53 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormJun 17 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 53 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 65 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 49 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 11 | 68 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | overhead | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 30 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 7 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 23 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 7 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 13 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 8 | 51 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 21 | 58 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Waynesville: 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 Waynesville
By decade
- 2020s8
- 2010s6
- 2000s16
- 1990s8
- 1980s3
- 1970s2
- 1960s6
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9, 2024 | EF2 | 4 mi | 4.72 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Feb 27, 1984 | F2 | 24 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 13, 1963 | F2 | 13 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | EF1 | 25 mi | 0.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | EF1 | 18 mi | 7.91 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 2, 2018 | EF1 | 16 mi | 0.59 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF1 | 12 mi | 1.65 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF1 | 13 mi | 16.64 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF1 | 23 mi | 5.22 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 7, 2008 | EF1 | 20 mi | 0.61 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 5, 2005 | F1 | 18 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 2002 | F1 | 14 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 51, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Waynesville
The Storm Prediction Center has 29 hail reports within 10 miles of Waynesville since 1992, made on 24 separate days. Of these, 12 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 April 23, 2020. The most recent report is from April 23, 2020. May and June have the most reports, 8 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Waynesville
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Woodbine, GA, 15 miles southeast of Waynesville at 16 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 38°F. August is the wettest at 7.8 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 54.5 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 61% of the year's precipitation (33.2 of 54.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 96 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (30); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 6.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 70 days a year, almost all from April to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 30 nights a year. That 54.5 inches is more than at 84 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (78%). Nahunta, 9 miles west, has its own station (Waycross 4 NE, GA): 50.4 inches a year, 4.1 less than here, and a July average high of 94°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 38 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Feb | 66 | 42 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Apr | 78 | 53 | 3.5 | 5 |
| May | 84 | 61 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Jun | 88 | 68 | 6.2 | 9 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 5.5 | 9 |
| Aug | 89 | 71 | 7.8 | 11 |
| Sep | 85 | 67 | 6.7 | 9 |
| Oct | 79 | 57 | 4.7 | 5 |
| Nov | 70 | 48 | 2.3 | 3 |
| Dec | 65 | 42 | 3.0 | 5 |
| Year | 77 | 55 | 54.5 | 76 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Woodbine, GA (16 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 Waynesville
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 93 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Waynesville: 80 thunderstorm wind reports, 6 heavy rain events, 3 floods, 2 flash floods and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $50,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on November 8, 1996.
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 Waynesville's ZIP code 31566 have filed 11 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 2009, and were paid $209,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 2009, with 10. Of the 154 Georgia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 6 have fewer than Waynesville.
Brantley County, which includes Waynesville, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 3 fires, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Brantley County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes; Relatively Low for tornadoes, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail, inland flooding, coastal flooding and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $7.0 million a year, the 97th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.1 million (44%), 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.