Prichard

Population 18,825 (2025)

44 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Prichard since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was Frederic in 1979 (Category 3).

Hazard fingerprint for Prichard Tornado: 95th percentile. Tropical: 96th percentile. Wildfire: 56th percentile. Flood: 83th percentile. Hail & wind: 53th percentile. Heat: 60th percentile. Cold: 9th percentile. Winter: 15th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 1950168
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger80
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198415
  • Major flood years since 1978, Mobile County6

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Mobile County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Mobile County.

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

44

15 at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

168

4 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Flood insurance claims

15,117

Mobile County

$369 million paid since 1978

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

15

Largest: Unnamed, 1993

Details

Strongest tornado

F3

November 3, 1968, 70.4 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

Cat. 3

Hurricane Frederic, 1979, 20.1 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

41

Most recent: Hurricane Isaias, 2026

Details

Record high

106°F

August 26, 2023

Details

Tornadoes

About 2 tornados a year since 1950, 4 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

November 3, 1968

F3, 70.4 mile path

400 yards wide.

Deadliest

January 26, 1996

1 killed, F1

3 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Thursday, May 29, 2025

EF0, 2.5 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 8 8 1960s: 10 10 1970s: 30 30 1980s: 20 20 1990s: 13 13 2000s: 21 21 2010s: 15 15 2020s: 51 51 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 12 F: 11 M: 23 23 A: 22 M: 12 J: 17 J: 12 A: 5 S: 10 O: 21 N: 11 D: 12 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
May 29, 2025EF02.510000
Apr 6, 2025EF02.72500
Mar 30, 2025EF02.47500
Mar 15, 2025EF16.320000
Dec 28, 2024EF00.23000
Dec 27, 2024EF00.23000
Dec 27, 2024EF01.68000
Dec 27, 2024EF15.310000
Jun 1, 2024EF10.415000
Apr 10, 2024EF10.22500
Jan 9, 2024EF05.12000
Jan 9, 2024EF10.35000
Jan 9, 2024EF11.923000
Jan 9, 2024EF01.52000
Jan 9, 2024EF03.02000
Jan 9, 2024EF10.23000
Jun 16, 2023EF03.98000
Jun 16, 2023EF17.03000
Jun 15, 2023EF00.37500
Jan 12, 2023EF211.720000
Oct 29, 2022EF10.22000
Oct 29, 2022EF00.62000
Oct 29, 2022EF02.518000
Oct 29, 2022EF02.11000
Oct 29, 2022EF14.925000
Oct 29, 2022EF02.711000
Oct 29, 2022EF01.82000
Oct 29, 2022EF03.15000
May 6, 2022EF10.32500
May 6, 2022EF10.32500
Mar 30, 2022EF00.65000
Mar 30, 2022EF13.03000
Mar 30, 2022EF00.73000
Mar 30, 2022EF00.62000
Mar 30, 2022EF00.95000
Mar 30, 2022EF04.15000
Mar 9, 2022EF11.85000
Aug 30, 2021EF110.017530
Jun 19, 2021EF10.85000
Oct 10, 2020EF00.12500
Jun 24, 2020EF12.730000
Jun 24, 2020EF00.35000
Jun 24, 2020EF10.95000
Jun 24, 2020EF02.72500
Apr 23, 2020EF10.67500
Apr 23, 2020EF11.425010
Apr 19, 2020EF13.27500
Apr 19, 2020EF11.37500
Apr 19, 2020EF18.910000
Apr 19, 2020EF02.015000
Apr 19, 2020EF00.51000
Nov 7, 2019EF00.42500
Oct 25, 2019EF13.310000
Oct 25, 2019EF00.12500
Oct 25, 2019EF11.37500
Jun 7, 2019EF00.52500
Oct 7, 2017EF00.32500
Apr 11, 2013EF10.87500
Dec 25, 2012EF16.710000
Dec 25, 2012EF25.220000
Dec 20, 2012EF16.77500
Sep 4, 2011EF11.910000
Apr 15, 2011EF01.28000
Mar 9, 2011EF20.910040
Mar 9, 2011EF10.28000
Oct 25, 2010EF11.215000
Oct 22, 2007EF10.720000
Aug 28, 2005F01.03000
Jul 6, 2005F00.53000
Jul 6, 2005F00.53000
Nov 24, 2004F00.13000
Nov 24, 2004F00.12000
Aug 29, 2003F00.12000
Sep 26, 2002F00.12000
Sep 22, 2002F00.12000
Sep 14, 2002F00.12000
Oct 13, 2001F00.33000
Oct 13, 2001F00.12000
Oct 13, 2001F10.13000
Jun 11, 2001F02.57500
Jun 11, 2001F110.07520
Jun 11, 2001F01.03000
Nov 24, 2000F00.220000
Nov 8, 2000F12.520000
Nov 8, 2000F01.010000
Nov 6, 2000F21.530020
Apr 24, 2000F11.015000
Oct 9, 1999F12.530000
Oct 9, 1999F00.720000
Jul 12, 1999F00.15000
Sep 27, 1998F00.13000
Nov 21, 1997F31.030000
Oct 25, 1997F113.030070
Jan 26, 1996F12.050031
Jan 18, 1996F00.11000
May 10, 1995F00.15000
May 9, 1995F00.15000
Dec 3, 1994F02.07300
Dec 3, 1990F00.51300
Feb 10, 1990F12.03000
Jul 2, 1989F21.07300
Apr 4, 1989F00.32300
Jun 26, 1987F00.13000
Mar 29, 1987F13.012300
Jul 6, 1985F01.03000
Feb 11, 1985F12.06000
Dec 11, 1983F10.13000
Apr 14, 1983F10.13000
Mar 26, 1983F10.12000
Feb 1, 1983F04.015010
Feb 1, 1983F10.37730
Aug 18, 1981F00.12000
Mar 22, 1981F10.11000
Feb 10, 1981F21.5150620
May 19, 1980F20.15000
Apr 13, 1980F10.13000
Apr 13, 1980F20.15000
Apr 13, 1980F10.32000
Apr 13, 1980F10.11700
Apr 13, 1980F10.15000
Jul 17, 1979F00.11000
May 4, 1979F00.51000
Mar 2, 1979F10.51700
Jul 22, 1978F13.05000
Jun 6, 1978F00.11700
May 17, 1978F01.05000
Nov 30, 1977F10.23300
Jun 16, 1977F20.17700
May 2, 1977F25.244000
Mar 27, 1976F313.930000
Nov 6, 1975F10.11010
Mar 13, 1975F10.11000
Feb 16, 1975F21.020000
Feb 16, 1975F11.010000
Jan 10, 1975F10.11000
Jan 10, 1975F10.11000
Sep 7, 1974F00.11000
Sep 2, 1974F00.11000
Mar 19, 1974F00.12000
Feb 6, 1974F00.12000
Dec 31, 1973F11.010000
Dec 26, 1973F23.85010
Sep 13, 1973F10.11000
Jul 10, 1973F00.15000
Jul 3, 1973F00.15000
Mar 18, 1972F11.06000
Sep 16, 1971F21.015000
Feb 12, 1971F225.51020
Feb 12, 1971F11.03300
Jun 2, 1970F20.11000
Aug 22, 1969F10.11000
Jul 27, 1969F10.33700
Jul 8, 1969F00.11000
Nov 3, 1968F370.4400180
Jul 19, 1967F10.11000
Sep 10, 1965F00.11000
May 7, 1960F20.210000
May 7, 1960F20.110000
May 5, 1960F111.51000
Jan 29, 1960F10.11000
Mar 26, 1959F10.11000
Feb 26, 1958F228.43010
Mar 31, 1957F11.06740
Mar 31, 1957F10.11000
Mar 18, 1953F20.11020
Apr 4, 1952F10.220020
Apr 18, 1950F22.015000
Apr 18, 1950F314.0100150
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

44 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 15 at hurricane strength, 1 as major hurricanes.

Strongest within 50 miles

September 13, 1979

Frederic, Category 3

20.1 miles at closest approach, winds near 113 mph.

Most recent

October 29, 2020

Zeta, Category 1

60.4 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 2 60s: 1 70s: 1 80s: 5 5 90s: 4 00s: 3 10s: 5 20s: 2 30s: 3 40s: 2 50s: 2 60s: 1 70s: 1 80s: 1 90s: 3 00s: 5 10s: 2 20s: 1 50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s
Storms within 50 miles, by decade. Records before about 1900 miss storms that never reached land or ships.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Zeta202060.4Category 183Category 3
Sally202036.8Category 298Category 2
Gordon201832.8Tropical storm64Tropical storm
Nate201734.4Tropical storm60Category 1
Lee201148.5Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Ida200933.2Post-tropical39Category 2
Katrina200587.2Category 2101Category 5
Dennis200544.5Category 183Category 4
Cindy200536.0Tropical storm43Category 1
Arlene200535.2Tropical storm48Tropical storm
Ivan200419.3Category 2104Category 5
Hanna20027.4Tropical storm43Tropical storm
Barry200192.6Tropical storm48Tropical storm
Helene200089.7Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Georges19987.3Tropical storm40Category 4
Danny199729.2Category 175Category 1
Opal199569.5Category 3115Category 4
Erin199517.5Tropical storm63Category 2
Juan198536.0Tropical storm60Category 1
Elena198551.8Category 3116Category 3
Frederic197920.1Category 3113Category 4
Unnamed196979.0Subtropical storm40Tropical storm
Camille196982.3Category 5173Category 5
Unnamed196570.4Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Hilda196414.4Tropical storm60Category 4
Ethel196055.2Tropical storm55Category 3
Irene195933.8Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Flossy195668.2Category 192Category 1
Unnamed195572.9Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Baker195014.6Category 186Category 2
Unnamed194878.5Tropical storm52Category 1
Unnamed194858.9Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed194726.7Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed19445.4Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed193940.3Tropical storm43Tropical storm
Unnamed193956.6Tropical storm48Category 1
Unnamed193914.5Tropical storm47Tropical storm
Unnamed193664.3Tropical storm66Category 2
Unnamed193452.9Tropical storm47Tropical storm
Unnamed193251.6Post-tropical48Tropical storm
Unnamed193216.7Category 178Category 1
Unnamed192632.8Category 175Category 4
Unnamed192352.8Tropical storm55Tropical storm
Unnamed192310.1Tropical storm41Tropical storm
Unnamed191955.5Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Unnamed191777.3Category 3115Category 4
Unnamed191646.7Category 2101Category 2
Unnamed191625.0Category 2101Category 3
Unnamed191432.3Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed191221.5Tropical storm62Category 1
Unnamed191284.1Tropical storm49Tropical storm
Unnamed191114.8Tropical storm66Category 1
Unnamed190741.6Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed190797.7Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed190639.4Category 2104Category 3
Unnamed190483.4Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed190259.3Tropical storm58Category 2
Unnamed190190.8Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed190117.1Tropical storm71Category 1
Unnamed189525.4Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Unnamed18945.4Tropical storm47Tropical storm
Unnamed189311.2Category 186Category 4
Unnamed189396.1Tropical storm55Category 2
Unnamed189244.8Tropical storm45Tropical storm
Unnamed188941.6Tropical storm69Category 2
Unnamed18873.2Tropical storm54Category 1
Unnamed188794.7Category 186Category 2
Unnamed188512.0Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed188599.0Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed188588.9Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed188280.7Category 3127Category 3
Unnamed188114.8Tropical storm48Tropical storm
Unnamed188044.7Tropical storm61Category 2
Unnamed187971.1Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed187997.4Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed187753.4Category 181Category 1
Unnamed187251.6Tropical storm49Tropical storm
Unnamed187020.4Category 181Category 1
Unnamed186382.2Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Unnamed186053.6Tropical storm72Category 2
Unnamed186010.0Category 186Category 3
Unnamed185919.8Tropical storm72Category 1
Unnamed185559.5Category 181Category 3
Unnamed185213.3Category 192Category 3
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

15 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

March 7, 1993

Unnamed Fire, 6,743 acres

12.6 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

April 4, 2024

Mobile Co Fire

740 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 1993: 6,7431999: 5152002: 5322005: 6662006: 7,9182007: 3,0642019: 6852020: 9422024: 740 21,805 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Mobile Co202422.8740
Deakle Road Fire202022.2942
The Williams Fire201924.3685
Bayou Lb200724.93,064
Delaney200615.81,308
Unnamed20066.61,335
Chunchula200617.6741
Unnamed200614.21,284
Unnamed200622.01,439
Unnamed200623.01,120
Unnamed200610.5691
Unnamed200523.7666
Unnamed200220.6532
Unnamed199923.9515
Unnamed199312.66,743
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 37 days

Heavy smoke on 1 day in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

8.8 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

6 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 21 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 10 2012: 6 2013: 2 2014: 1 2015: 1 2016: 1 2017: 1 2018: 3 2019: 2 2020: 4 2021: 6 2022: 18 2023: 37 37 2024: 10 2025: 6 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

15,117 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $369 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Mobile County, the county that contains Prichard.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 51 1979: 1,623 1980: 726 1981: 1,147 1982: 29 1983: 298 1984: 34 1985: 478 1987: 23 1988: 20 1989: 23 1990: 79 1991: 25 1992: 11 1993: 18 1994: 6 1995: 264 1996: 24 1997: 594 1998: 2,515 1999: 14 2000: 8 2001: 14 2002: 428 2003: 57 2004: 1,451 2005: 3,628 3,628 2006: 17 2007: 10 2008: 203 2009: 166 2010: 31 2011: 11 2012: 150 2013: 14 2014: 108 2015: 66 2017: 202 2018: 33 2019: 21 2020: 401 2021: 31 2022: 11 2023: 7 2024: 12 2025: 14 2026: 14 1978198319891994199920042009201420202025
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2005: 3,628 claims

$226 million paid.

2nd most

1998: 2,515 claims

$36.7 million paid.

3rd most

1979: 1,623 claims

$18.0 million paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
365285,004$112 million
366051,976$55.1 million
36582882$25.4 million
36523655$15.9 million
36509643$32.6 million
36603618$13.9 million
36608579$7.3 million
36606561$5.6 million
36607538$8.1 million
36619484$24.7 million
36571461$4.1 million
36617348$5.2 million
36693327$10.3 million
36609247$2.8 million
245$1.6 million
36610221$3.5 million
36611218$5.6 million
36602179$13.3 million
36604123$1.5 million
36572106$1.4 million
3660193$5.2 million
3669591$1.1 million
3661857$555,000
3663355$2.0 million
3661642$976,000
3654140$826,000
3654437$497,000
3665235$2.8 million
3661328$127,000
3666027$501,000
3661226$231,000
3659026$237,000
3657525$312,000
3660015$775,000
3652514$7,600
3652112$67,000
3667010$164,000
3668910$179,000
366918$70,000
365227$131,000
365876$42,000
366155$1.4 million

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood173
  • Coastal Flood30
  • Flood12
  • Heavy Rain12

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).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Mobile County, the county that contains Prichard.

Most severe crest

June 19, 2026

Bayou Sara at Saraland, 10.15 ft

6.15 feet above the 4.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

June 19, 2026

Bayou Sara at Saraland, 10.15 ft

Major flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Jun 19, 2026Bayou Sara at Saraland10.15+6.15Major
Sep 28, 1998Bayou Sara at Saraland9.80+5.80Major
Sep 1, 2008Bayou Sara at Saraland9.30+5.30Major
May 22, 2026Bayou Sara at Saraland8.94+4.94Major
Feb 25, 2020Bayou Sara at Saraland7.90+3.90Major
Apr 26, 1979Bayou Sara at Saraland7.84+3.84Major
Apr 13, 1980Bayou Sara at Saraland7.80+3.80Major
Apr 3, 1980Bayou Sara at Saraland7.50+3.50Major
Mar 6, 1961Mobile River at Barry Steam Plant18.19+6.19Moderate
Apr 25, 1979Mobile River at Barry Steam Plant17.72+5.72Moderate
Apr 4, 1980Mobile River at Barry Steam Plant17.40+5.40Moderate
Aug 30, 2021Bayou Sara at Saraland7.00+3.00Moderate
Apr 1, 2005Bayou Sara at Saraland7.00+3.00Moderate
Feb 28, 1990Bayou Sara at Saraland6.95+2.95Moderate
May 10, 1995Bayou Sara at Saraland6.80+2.80Moderate
Oct 8, 2017Bayou Sara at Saraland6.70+2.70Moderate
Jul 20, 1997Bayou Sara at Saraland6.60+2.60Moderate
Jun 8, 2020Bayou Sara at Saraland6.00+2.00Moderate
Mar 28, 1990Bayou Sara at Saraland5.85+1.85Moderate
Apr 7, 2025Bayou Sara at Saraland5.71+1.71Moderate
Mar 15, 2020Bayou Sara at Saraland5.50+1.50Moderate
Jun 22, 2017Bayou Sara at Saraland5.50+1.50Moderate
Feb 10, 1996Bayou Sara at Saraland5.50+1.50Moderate
Apr 8, 1976Bayou Sara at Saraland5.50+1.50Moderate
Jan 9, 2019Bayou Sara at Saraland5.50+1.50Moderate

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Bayou Sara at Saraland4.010.15 ftJun 19, 20268
Escatawpa River above Wilmer23.028.48 ftJun 21, 20260
Mobile River at Barry Steam Plant12.018.19 ftMar 6, 19610
Tide Gauge at Coast Guard Sector Mobile (IN MHHW)1.7——0
Tide Gauge at DOG RIVER BRIDGE (IN MHHW)2.0——0
Tide Gauge at Dauphin Island (IN MHHW)2.0——0
Tide Gauge at East Fowl River Bridge (IN MHHW)2.0——0
Tide Gauge at West Fowl River Bridge (IN MHHW)2.0——0
Tide Gauge near Bayou La Batre Bridge (in MHHW)2.0——0
Tide Gauge near Chickasaw (IN MHHW)1.7——0
Tide Gauge near Mobile State Docks (IN MHHW)1.7——0
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

High tide flooding

Tide gauges in Mobile County.

Most in one year, Dauphin Island

18 days

May 2020 to April 2021.

Last ten years

5.8 days a year

At Dauphin Island, 2016–26.

Moderate or major

15 days

Since 1981, 1 of them major.

High tide flooding days per year at Dauphin Island 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 6 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 1 1994: 0 1995: 2 1996: 0 2002: 4 2004: 2 2006: 1 2007: 0 2008: 6 2009: 4 2010: 0 2011: 3 2012: 4 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 4 2016: 0 2017: 6 2018: 4 2019: 10 2020: 18 18 2021: 6 2022: 2 2023: 3 2024: 9 2025: 0 1981199120082018
Days at or above NOAA’s minor high tide flooding threshold, each meteorological year (May to April) from 1920. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

Other tide gauges here: Mobile State Docks (record 12 days, 2020); Coast Guard Sector Mobile (record 17 days, 2024); Dog River Bridge (record 13 days, 2020); East Fowl River Bridge (record 14 days, 2020); Chickasaw Creek (record 13 days, 2015); West Fowl River Bridge (record 14 days, 2020); Bayou La Batre Bridge (record 14 days, 2020).

  1. High tide flooding days are days on which a NOAA tide gauge recorded water at or above NOAA's minor flood threshold, set from the gauge's tide range, counted by meteorological year (May to April). These are the counts in NOAA's annual high tide flooding reports; they are not National Weather Service flood stages. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, through April 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 99 of 1,581 months since 1895 (6%); the longest spell lasted 13 months.

The drought index is for Mobile County, the county that contains Prichard.

99

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

20

Months in extreme drought

6%

Share of all months, severe or worse

6

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

August 2000

−5.35, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

13 months

February 2000 to February 2001.

Latest month

September 2026

−1.99, mild drought

Last severe month: April 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 2 1899: 3 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 1 1903: 0 1904: 3 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 1 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 1 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 4 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 1 1925: 9 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 2 1931: 0 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 1 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 3 1939: 3 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 8 1955: 3 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 8 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 4 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 1 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 11 11 2001: 4 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 8 2007: 5 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 7 2012: 3 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1997; none reached magnitude 4.

3

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

0

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

February 18, 2011

Magnitude 3.5

22 km SSE of Dauphin Island, Alabama; 48.5 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

February 18, 2011

Magnitude 3.5

22 km SSE of Dauphin Island, Alabama; 48.5 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 1 1 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 1 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 1 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.
  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

1,291 events in the National Weather Service record for Mobile County, 996 of them since 1996.

128

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

9

Hail, 2 inches or larger

336

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

22

Winter weather events since 1996

12

Heat events since 1996

2

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

May 8, 1985

3.50 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

January 26, 1996

101 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Rip currents9104Jul 31, 2022
High surf and sneaker waves400Aug 22, 2007
Storm surge and tide1900Aug 29, 2021
Lightning63322Jun 16, 2019
Dense fog and smoke2012Dec 16, 2000

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 13, 2004Hurricane (Typhoon), Lower Mobile$2.5 billion
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Ivan affected the region from September 13 through the 16th. The coastal areas were put under a hurricane watch at 900 PM CST on September 13. The area was put under a hurricane warning at 300 PM CST on September 14. The hurricane warning was dropped at 900 AM CST on September 16 and we were put under a tropical storm warning. The tropical storm warning was dropped at 300 PM CST on September 16. Ivan made landfall around 100 AM CST near Gulf Shores, Alabama on September 16. An interesting note, as Ivan approached the Alabama coast during the day on the 15th, a buoy just south of the Alabama coastal waters recorded a peak wave height of 52 feet, before breaking loose of…

  2. Aug 27, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Lower Mobile$1.0 billion
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the fourth time this season, the area was threatened by a tropical event. Major Hurricane Katrina impacted portions of the area during the day of August 29th. The storm made landfall over southeast Louisiana around sunrise on August 29. The center of Katrina tracked north northeast near I-59 across southeast Mississippi. Katrina had a large eye and the wind field was also very large. Gusts to hurricane force were felt as far east as the Alabama and Mississippi state line. Wind damage from Katrina decreased as you got farther east of the center of the storm. However, high storm surge values were observed as far east as Destin in Okaloosa county. The storm surge with Katrina was…

  3. Jul 9, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Lower Mobile$120 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the narrative of Hurricane Dennis, please see Florida, West Panhandle. After Dennis moved through Santa Rosa and Escambia counties in Florida it moved across Escambia, Monroe, Clarke and Choctaw counties in southwest Alabama. Tree damage was reported in all of these counties as well as Conecuh, Washington and Wilcox counties. Some of the trees fell on structures and damaged them. By far the worst damage occurred in Escambia and Monroe counties in the Alabama counties. As was the case in Florida, the cotton crop suffered damage from the heavy rains and high winds.

  4. Sep 25, 1998Hurricane (Typhoon), Lower Mobile$80.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the second time in less than a month, the area was again threatened by a hurricane. Hurricane Georges affected the region September 25 through the 29. The coastal areas from Dauphin Island to east of Destin were put under a hurricane watch at 900 AM CST, September 25. A hurricane warning was issued for the area at 900 AM CST, September 26. The hurricane warning was changed to a tropical storm warning for the area at 300 PM CST, September 28. All tropical storm warnings for the area were dropped at 900 AM CST, September 29.Georges made landfall along the Mississippi coast near Biloxi between 300 and 500 AM CST, September 28.Some of the winds recorded across Southwest Alabama…

  5. Sep 15, 2020Hurricane (Typhoon), Mobile Coastal$76.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, AL at 5am on Wednesday, September 16th as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Sally produced widespread wind, storm surge, and freshwater flooding across coastal AL and the western Florida Panhandle. Flood and wind damage also extended well inland into inland southwest Alabama and south central Alabama. Sally was an extremely slow moving hurricane, which prolonged and exacerbated the local impacts. The storm was moving at less than 5 mph at the time of landfall, resulting in a long duration of tropical storm and hurricane force winds, storm surge, and torrential rainfall. ||Storm surge and resultant…

  6. Oct 7, 2017Storm Surge/Tide, Mobile Coastal$10.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Nate quickly moved north northwest out of the northwest Caribbean Sea and across the Gulf of Mexico, making landfall near Biloxi, MS just after midnight on October 8th as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum winds of 85 mph. Nate quickly weakened as it moved inland across inland southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama and was downgraded to a tropical depression over central Alabama by 10am CDT on October 8th.||The most significant damage produced by Nate was a substantial storm surge, particularly in the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay. The highest surge values were observed in Mobile County, AL where peak surge inundation was generally 4 to 6 feet based on official…

  7. Apr 29, 2014Flash Flood$6.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Ten to seventeen inches of rain fell across much of central and southern Mobile county. Most of that rain fell during the evening of April 29th through the early morning of April 30th. Widespread flash flooding was reported across central and southern Mobile county, including the city of Mobile. Numerous roads were closed due to being impassable and dozens of people had to be rescued from cars that drove into flooded areas. Massive sinkholes developed on Girby Street and on Dauphin Street at Mcgreror Street. Homes were flooded in a Theodore subdivision.

  8. Sep 24, 2002Tropical Storm, Lower Mobile$4.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the second time during the month the area was threatened by a tropical storm. Tropical Storm Isidore threatened the area Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We were put under a Tropical Storm Warning at 900 AM CST on September 24. The Tropical Storm Warning was dropped at 300 PM CST on September 26 as the remains of Isidore moved across eastern Mississippi. Isidore moved ashore over the Southeast Louisiana Coast between 200 and 300 AM CST on September 26. Although the center of Isidore did not move over our area, the strongest winds and heaviest rains were east of the center with most of the damage across Southwest Alabama and Northwest Florida.Some of the winds recorded across…

  9. Sep 1, 2008Storm Surge/Tide, Lower Mobile$3.9 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Gustav moved south and west of the Alabama Coastal waters and brought high tide levels to the area. The berm on the western end of Dauphin Island was completely washed away. The road leading to Dauphin Island was closed due to high water. The causeway, parts of downtown Mobile, Bayou La Batre and areas along the Dog river were also closed due to high water. Bayou La Batre had a storm tide height of 6.2 feet with a surge of 5.5 feet. Dauphin Island had a storm tide height of 4.2 feet with a surge of 3.5 feet. Middle Bay Lighthouse had a storm tide of 4.6 feet with a surge of 3.9 feet. Mobile State Docks had a storm tide height of 4.9 feet with a surge of 4.2 feet. Coast Guard…

  10. Jul 3, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$3.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Eye witness interviews, archived radar data, photographic evidence and media reports indicate that a thunderstorm downburst with peak winds of 70 mph, accompanied by a gustnado along the leading edge of the gustfront, was the cause of the damage that occurred in the vicinity of the I-65 and Dauphin Street interchange at around 120 pm CST on the afternoon of July 3. |A short lived gustnado developed along the leading edge of the thunderstorm downburst near the Dauphin Way Baptist Church, just on the west side of I-65. Most reports indicate that the gustnado was visible along the gustfront for 30 to 60 seconds. Slight damage occurred to a couple of trees along Dauphin Street near…

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Mobile, 9.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.

All-time high
106°FAug 26, 2023
All-time low
3°FJan 21, 1985
Warmest night
82°F5 times, most recently Aug 13, 2023
Coldest day
23°FDec 25, 1983
Wettest day
13.36 inApr 13, 1955
Snowiest day
7.5 inJan 21, 2025
Hottest year
2023mean 71.0°F
Coldest year
1983mean 64.5°F
Wettest year
197586.58 in
Driest year
195442.35 in
Snowiest season
7.5 in2024-25
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Mobile 32°F 62° 40° 4.7 Jan 66° 45° 4.1 Feb 73° 50° 5.3 Mar 78° 56° 5.8 Apr 85° 64° 5.8 May 90° 71° 7.1 Jun 91° 73° 7.7 Jul 91° 73° 7.1 Aug 88° 69° 5.4 Sep 80° 58° 3.6 Oct 71° 48° 4.0 Nov 64° 43° 5.7 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 14 1977: 16 1978: 17 1979: 8 1980: 34 1981: 26 1982: 5 1983: 10 1984: 2 1985: 7 1986: 16 1987: 16 1988: 12 1989: 9 1990: 30 1991: 3 1992: 7 1993: 15 1994: 0 1995: 21 1996: 5 1997: 7 1998: 26 1999: 15 2000: 35 2001: 4 2002: 7 2003: 0 2004: 7 2005: 11 2006: 17 2007: 21 2008: 5 2009: 18 2010: 29 2011: 53 2012: 13 2013: 4 2014: 3 2015: 20 2016: 9 2017: 7 2018: 19 2019: 43 2020: 4 2021: 4 2022: 23 2023: 58 58 2024: 42 2025: 8 19761986199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 17.2.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 1.9 in 1977: 0.4 in 1978: 0.0 in 1979: 0.0 in 1980: 0.0 in 1981: 0.0 in 1982: 0.0 in 1983: 0.0 in 1984: 0.0 in 1985: 0.0 in 1986: 0.0 in 1987: 1.7 in 1988: 0.0 in 1989: 0.0 in 1990: 0.0 in 1991: 0.0 in 1992: 2.7 in 1993: 0.0 in 1994: 0.0 in 1995: 0.0 in 1996: 1.0 in 1997: 0.1 in 1998: 0.0 in 1999: 0.0 in 2000: 0.0 in 2001: 0.0 in 2002: 0.0 in 2003: 0.0 in 2004: 0.0 in 2005: 0.0 in 2006: 0.0 in 2007: 0.0 in 2008: 0.0 in 2009: 0.3 in 2010: 0.0 in 2011: 0.0 in 2012: 0.0 in 2013: 1.3 in 2014: 0.0 in 2015: 0.0 in 2016: 0.0 in 2017: 1.1 in 2018: 0.0 in 2019: 0.0 in 2020: 0.0 in 2021: 0.0 in 2022: 0.0 in 2023: 0.0 in 2024: 7.5 in 7.5 2025: 0.0 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

February 2

Earliest: December 8, 2017

Median last snow

February 2

Latest: March 13, 1993

62 of 78 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Mobile (USW00013894), 289 ft elevation, 9.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 24, 2026; 99.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

41 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.

Declarations for Mobile County.

Federal disaster declarations
Oct 9, 2026HurricaneHurricane IsaiasEmergencyEM-3656-AL
Sep 26, 2024HurricaneHurricane HeleneEmergencyEM-3618-AL
Jan 15, 2023Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-4684-AL
Dec 10, 2020HurricaneHurricane ZetaMajor disasterDR-4573-AL
Sep 20, 2020HurricaneHurricane SallyMajor disasterDR-4563-AL
Sep 14, 2020HurricaneHurricane SallyEmergencyEM-3545-AL
Mar 29, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4503-AL
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3472-AL
Nov 5, 2018HurricaneHurricane MichaelMajor disasterDR-4406-AL
Oct 12, 2018HurricaneHurricane MichaelEmergencyEM-3407-AL
Nov 16, 2017HurricaneHurricane NateMajor disasterDR-4349-AL
Oct 8, 2017HurricaneHurricane NateEmergencyEM-3394-AL
Sep 11, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaEmergencyEM-3389-AL
May 2, 2014Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4176-AL
Sep 21, 2012HurricaneHurricane IsaacMajor disasterDR-4082-AL
Apr 28, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1971-AL
Apr 27, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsEmergencyEM-3319-AL
Dec 22, 2009HurricaneTropical Storm IdaMajor disasterDR-1866-AL
Sep 26, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding Associated With Hurricane IkeMajor disasterDR-1797-AL
Sep 10, 2008HurricaneHurricane GustavMajor disasterDR-1789-AL
Aug 30, 2008HurricaneHurricane GustavEmergencyEM-3292-AL
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3237-AL
Aug 29, 2005HurricaneHurricane KatrinaMajor disasterDR-1605-AL
Aug 28, 2005HurricaneHurricane KatrinaEmergencyEM-3214-AL
Jul 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane DennisMajor disasterDR-1593-AL
Sep 15, 2004HurricaneHurricane IvanMajor disasterDR-1549-AL
May 12, 2003Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1466-AL
Oct 9, 2002HurricaneTropical Storm IsidoreMajor disasterDR-1438-AL
Sep 30, 1998HurricaneHurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98Major disasterDR-1250-AL
Sep 28, 1998HurricaneHurricane GeorgesEmergencyEM-3133-AL
Jul 25, 1997Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding,High Winds, Assoc With Hurr DannyMajor disasterDR-1185-AL
Oct 4, 1995HurricaneHurricane OpalMajor disasterDR-1070-AL
Mar 15, 1993SnowstormSevere Snowfall, Winter StormEmergencyEM-3096-AL
Mar 21, 1990Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-861-AL
Sep 7, 1985HurricaneHurricane ElenaMajor disasterDR-742-AL
May 14, 1981FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-639-AL
Apr 20, 1980Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-619-AL
Sep 13, 1979HurricaneHurricane FredericMajor disasterDR-598-AL
Jul 20, 1977DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3045-AL
Mar 27, 1973TornadoTornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-369-AL
Nov 7, 1969HurricaneHurricane CamilleMajor disasterDR-280-AL

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).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00013894.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Tide gauges NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.