Atkinson County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13003 · population 8,264 · 343 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 197 records for Atkinson County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 147 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (120 records). The most damaging was the November 12, 2002 tornado ($16,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1977, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 30, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 197on 147 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Atkinson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 120 since 1961. The rank column places the county among Georgia's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 120 | 94 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 2 | $328K | 93 of 159 |
| Hail | 31 | 26 | 1968-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 106 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1964-2018 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 108 of 159 |
| Drought | 8 | 8 | 2025-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 143 of 159 |
| Floods | 8 | 8 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | $235K | 116 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 137 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2003-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2010-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 142 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2024-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 104 of 159 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2001-2004 | 0 | 1 | – | 114 of 159 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 134 of 159 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Atkinson County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Atkinson County from 1964 to 2018, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 10 tornadoes whose track touched Atkinson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Atkinson County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-02 | Pearson, Atkinson County | EF0 0.19 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2018-12-02 | Saye, Atkinson County | EF0 3.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-04 | Oberry, Atkinson County | EF0 0.02 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-01-22 | Oberry, Atkinson County | EF1 3.11 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-03-20 | Mora, Atkinson County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-11-12 | Willacoochee, Atkinson County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2001-06-11 | Pearson, Atkinson County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1997-10-26 | Willacoochee, Atkinson County | F0 8 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1997-10-25 | Pearson, Atkinson County | F0 1.2 mi x 12 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1974-04-08 | Atkinson County | F1 30.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-04-08 | Atkinson County | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Atkinson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Heavy RainPearson, Atkinson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindPearson, Atkinson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | DroughtAtkinson County · forecast zone Atkinson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindAxson, Atkinson County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindKirkland, Atkinson County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindWillacoochee, Atkinson County The county EM reported a large tree was blown along Bostwick Street and destroyed a home. Two inhabitants were transported with injuries to the hospital. Four people in total were displaced. The time of the event was based on radar. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2004-07-12 | LightningWillacoochee, Atkinson County One man struck and suffered some minor injuries. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-11-12 | TornadoWillacoochee, Atkinson County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 1997-10-26 | TornadoWillacoochee, Atkinson County | F0 8 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1997-10-25 | TornadoPearson, Atkinson County | F0 1.2 mi x 12 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2001-06-11 | TornadoPearson, Atkinson County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2018-12-02 | TornadoPearson, Atkinson County | EF0 0.19 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 8, 1974 (tornado, Atkinson County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Atkinson County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 36 | 40 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Atkinson County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 7 · Feb 17 · Mar 29 · Apr 20 · May 22 · Jun 25 · Jul 34 · Aug 22 · Sep 5 · Oct 6 · Nov 4 · Dec 6 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Atkinson County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Atkinson County: 10 major disasters, 8 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (9) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4821 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3607 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023-09-07 | DR-4738 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4501 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3464 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-10-14 | DR-4400 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018-10-10 | EM-3406 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-10-06 | EM-3379 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2009-04-23 | DR-1833 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2007-05-05 | FM-2688 | Fire | Roundabout Fire |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-24 | DR-1560 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1991-03-15 | DR-897 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Atkinson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 8 flood or flash flood records for Atkinson County from 1998 to 2023, on 8 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Atkinson County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,640 on 2 claims filed in Atkinson County; the most in one year was 1 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Atkinson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Atkinson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $205K | 23 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $428K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $29K | once in about 989 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $104K | once in about 770 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $73K | 71 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $64K | 3.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $147K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Atkinson County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in GeorgiaEvery Georgia tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in GeorgiaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Georgia recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Atkinson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Atkinson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis