NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Wellington, 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
14 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Wellington, Alabama since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 97 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 19 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 14
- Tornadoes
- 97
- EF3 or stronger
- 19
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
70 deaths in all
What the records show for Wellington
None of the 14 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Wellington; the strongest was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm with 62 mph winds when its centre passed 2 miles away. The record near Wellington begins with an unnamed storm in 1892; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 14 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 323 Alabama cities on this site, 64% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Wellington. The highest rating among the 97 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 2 miles. Of the 97, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 45 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 30. The most recent tornado was on May 20, 2025. Of the 323 Alabama cities, 79% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Wellington. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 100 times since 1967, with stones up to 4.5 inches (grapefruit size). Wellington has more hail reports within 10 miles than 83% of the 323 Alabama cities.
Compare Wellington's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Wellington
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | JuanNov 1 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Wellington: 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 Wellington
By decade
- 2020s7(1 EF3+)
- 2010s16(4 EF3+)
- 2000s22(1 EF3+)
- 1990s12(2 EF3+)
- 1980s10(2 EF3+)
- 1970s16(5 EF3+)
- 1960s11(3 EF3+)
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 2 mi | 97.33 mi | 22 / 85 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F4 | 2 mi | 50 mi | 22 / 150 |
| May 27, 1973 | F4 | 24 mi | 139.1 mi | 7 / 199 |
| Apr 24, 2010 | EF4 | 25 mi | 16.62 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF3 | 3 mi | 38.17 mi | 6 / 10 |
| Dec 3, 1983 | F3 | 17 mi | 4 mi | 2 / 51 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F3 | 15 mi | 7.3 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jan 10, 1975 | F3 | 14 mi | 18.8 mi | 1 / 60 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 16 mi | 41.6 mi | 1 / 44 |
| Mar 19, 2018 | EF3 | 2 mi | 35.22 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Apr 28, 2014 | EF3 | 23 mi | 11.73 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 16, 2000 | F3 | 13 mi | 12.8 mi | 0 / 14 |
The strongest 12 of 97, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Wellington
The Storm Prediction Center has 100 hail reports within 10 miles of Wellington since 1967, made on 68 separate days. Of these, 62 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4.5 inches (grapefruit size), fell on February 21, 1993. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. March has the most reports, 30.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Wellington
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Gadsden, AL, 12 miles northwest of Wellington at 565 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 53°F and 33°F. January is the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.5 inches; the year adds up to 57.8 inches over 85 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (26.1 of 57.8 inches); the other six months are wetter. Highs reach 90°F on about 66 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 53 nights a year. That 57.8 inches is more than at 59 of the 107 Alabama stations used on this site (55%). Alexandria, 7 miles south, has its own station (Anniston Metro Airport, AL): 52.2 inches a year, 5.6 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53 | 33 | 5.7 | 8 |
| Feb | 57 | 36 | 5.2 | 8 |
| Mar | 66 | 43 | 5.4 | 8 |
| Apr | 75 | 50 | 5.1 | 7 |
| May | 82 | 59 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Jun | 88 | 68 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 4.7 | 8 |
| Aug | 90 | 70 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Sep | 85 | 64 | 4.5 | 5 |
| Oct | 75 | 53 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Nov | 64 | 41 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Dec | 56 | 36 | 5.5 | 8 |
| Year | 74 | 52 | 57.8 | 85 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Gadsden, AL (565 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 Wellington
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 133 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Wellington: 123 thunderstorm wind reports, 7 flash floods, 1 flood, 1 heavy rain event and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 3, and the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 27, 2011. July has had the most flash floods, 2 of 7. Of the 321 Alabama cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 83 have had fewer than Wellington.
April 27, 2011: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Wellington — 2 injured, $25,000 damage.
July 5, 2005: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Wellington — 1 injured, $73,000 damage.
July 1, 2007: lightning strike 10 miles from the centre of Wellington — $500,000 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
Calhoun County, which includes Wellington, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 severe storms, 8 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, on April 26, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Calhoun County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $53.8 million a year, the 11th highest of 67 Alabama counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $26.8 million (50%), 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.