NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Zebulon, 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
22 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Zebulon, Georgia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 113 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 22
- Tornadoes
- 113
- EF3 or stronger
- 8
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
32 deaths in all
What the records show for Zebulon
None of the 22 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Zebulon; the strongest was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm with 66 mph winds when its centre passed 69 miles away. The record near Zebulon begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 5 systems. Of the 22 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Zebulon has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 49% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The strongest of the 113 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on March 3, 2019; its path came within 25 miles, and it killed 23 people. Of the 113, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 71 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 26. The most recent tornado was on June 25, 2025. Zebulon has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 85% of the 405 Georgia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 42 times since 1988, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 405 Georgia cities, 61% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Zebulon.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Zebulon
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 15 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 3 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 1 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 8 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 28 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 14 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 Zebulon: 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 Zebulon
By decade
- 2020s28(3 EF3+)
- 2010s30(3 EF3+)
- 2000s13(1 EF3+)
- 1990s11
- 1980s11
- 1970s5
- 1960s7
- 1950s8(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF4 | 25 mi | 68.04 mi | 23 / 90 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 6 mi | 30.82 mi | 2 / 22 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 13 mi | 21.68 mi | 2 / 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | 8 mi | 31.16 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 17 mi | 5.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 13 mi | 16.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 2006 | F3 | 6 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Dec 5, 1954 | F3 | 23 mi | 51 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 11 mi | 125.76 mi | 4 / 40 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F2 | 3 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 2 |
| May 29, 2025 | EF2 | 21 mi | 1.82 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 9 mi | 21.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 113, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Zebulon
The Storm Prediction Center has 42 hail reports within 10 miles of Zebulon since 1988, made on 33 separate days. Of these, 20 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on April 25, 1988. The most recent report is from March 26, 2023. May has the most reports, 12.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Zebulon
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Experiment, GA, 11 miles north of Zebulon at 934 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 34°F. January is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 54.2 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (26.8 of 54.2 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 22 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (11); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 39 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 52 nights a year. That 54.2 inches is more than at 82 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (76%). Meansville, 6 miles south, has its own station (Thomaston 4SE, GA): 50.4 inches a year, 3.8 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 34 | 5.3 | 8 |
| Feb | 59 | 37 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Mar | 67 | 44 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Apr | 74 | 50 | 4.0 | 6 |
| May | 81 | 59 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 4.9 | 9 |
| Jul | 90 | 69 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Sep | 84 | 64 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Oct | 75 | 52 | 3.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 4.0 | 7 |
| Dec | 58 | 36 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Year | 74 | 52 | 54.2 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Experiment, GA (934 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 Zebulon
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 175 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Zebulon: 130 thunderstorm wind reports, 37 flash floods, 7 lightning strikes and 1 flood. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on June 26, 2025. March has had the most flash floods, 19 of 37. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 356 have had fewer than Zebulon.
July 4, 2008: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Zebulon — 1 injured.
July 6, 2005: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Zebulon — $250,000 damage.
June 10, 2014: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Zebulon — $100,000 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
Pike County, which includes Zebulon, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 4 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Pike County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and lightning; Very Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $3.7 million a year, the 132nd highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.2 million (59%), 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 Zebulon
- Williamson, GA6 mi
- Meansville, GA6 mi
- Milner, GA7 mi
- Concord, GA8 mi
- Barnesville, GA10 mi
- Griffin, GA10 mi
- Molena, GA12 mi
- Thomaston, GA14 mi
- Brooks, GA15 mi
- Woodbury, GA18 mi
- Senoia, GA20 mi
- Hampton, GA21 mi
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