NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Winston, 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
17 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Winston, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 115 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 12 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 17
- Tornadoes
- 115
- EF3 or stronger
- 12
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
8 deaths in all
What the records show for Winston
None of the 17 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Winston; the strongest was Eloise in 1975, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 26 miles away. The record near Winston begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 46 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 17 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 405 Georgia cities on this site, 63% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Winston. The highest rating among the 115 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on March 25, 2021, came within 20 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on March 24, 1975, killed 3 people. Of the 115, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 53 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 21. The most recent tornado was on May 27, 2025. Winston has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 86% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 97 times since 1955, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Winston has more hail reports within 10 miles than 78% of the 405 Georgia cities.
Compare Winston's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Winston
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 17 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 5 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 13 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 59 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 Winston: 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 Winston
By decade
- 2020s19(1 EF3+)
- 2010s19(1 EF3+)
- 2000s15(1 EF3+)
- 1990s13(3 EF3+)
- 1980s14(1 EF3+)
- 1970s15(3 EF3+)
- 1960s13(2 EF3+)
- 1950s7
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25, 2021 | EF4 | 20 mi | 38.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F4 | 20 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 46 |
| Mar 24, 1975 | F3 | 19 mi | 14.8 mi | 3 / 152 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF3 | 17 mi | 29.02 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Feb 26, 2008 | EF3 | 20 mi | 7.21 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F3 | 20 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Mar 29, 1991 | F3 | 15 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 25 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F3 | 20 mi | 14 mi | 0 / 23 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 20 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1970 | F3 | 24 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 1964 | F3 | 12 mi | 75.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 28, 1964 | F3 | 18 mi | 15.7 mi | 0 / 10 |
The strongest 12 of 115, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Winston
The Storm Prediction Center has 97 hail reports within 10 miles of Winston since 1955, made on 79 separate days. Of these, 44 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on March 15, 2008. The most recent report is from April 10, 2025. April has the most reports, 21.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Winston
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Carrollton, GA, 15 miles west of Winston at 995 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 32°F. March is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and August and October the driest at 3.7 inches; the year adds up to 53.6 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (24.2 of 53.6 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 17 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 3.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 36 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 65 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.6 inches a year, most of it in December. That 53.6 inches is more than at 80 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (74%). Douglasville, 7 miles northeast, has its own station (Mableton 1 N, GA): 56.1 inches a year, 2.5 more than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 32 | 5.0 | 8 | 0.2 |
| Feb | 58 | 35 | 5.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 66 | 41 | 5.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 74 | 48 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 81 | 57 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 65 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 69 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 62 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 74 | 50 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 64 | 39 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 56 | 34 | 5.1 | 8 | 0.4 |
| Year | 73 | 50 | 53.6 | 80 | 0.6 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Carrollton, GA (995 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 Winston
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 291 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Winston: 254 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 flash floods, 13 lightning strikes, 6 floods and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 8 people and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $99.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on March 10, 2017. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 284 have had fewer than Winston.
September 20, 2009: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Winston — 6 killed, $870,000 damage.
September 21, 2009: flood 8 miles from the centre of Winston — 1 killed, $8.7 million damage.
September 21, 2009: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Winston — 1 killed, $1.3 million 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
Douglas County, which includes Winston, has been named in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 severe storms, 5 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Zeta, on January 12, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Douglas County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $34.2 million a year, the 20th highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $18.1 million (53%), 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.