Baker County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13007 · population 2,855 · 342 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 218 records for Baker County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 154 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (85 records). The deadliest single record is the March 1, 2007 tornado: 6 deaths, 3 injuries and $1.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1966, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 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
- 218on 154 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 73 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $300Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest EF2
- 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 Baker County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 85 since 1973. 47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in June and July. 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 | 85 | 63 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | $315K | 139 of 159 |
| Drought | 72 | 48 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $85M | 39 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 18 | 13 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $192M | 90 of 159 |
| Floods | 12 | 10 | 1998-2024 | 1 | 0 | $11M | 92 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 9 | 1980-2023 | 6 | 3 | $1.9M | 117 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 6 | 6 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 108 of 159 |
| Hail | 4 | 4 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 158 of 159 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 113 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 117 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 2 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 103 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 133 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 Baker County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Baker County from 1980 to 2023, the strongest rated EF2, with 6 deaths and 3 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 Baker County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 22:44, as SPC files it | Putney | EF2 | 30.53 mi | 6 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Baker County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-14 | Elmodel, Baker County | EF1 3.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $969 |
| 2022-04-05 | Red Store Crossroads, Baker County | EF0 0.64 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-12-17 | Newton, Baker County | EF0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2017-01-02 | Mimsville, Baker County | EF1 7.21 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2013-01-30 | Newton, Baker County | EF0 1.19 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2007-03-01 | Newton, Baker County | EF2 14.8 mi x 200 yd | 6 | 3 | $1.8M |
| 2004-09-15 | Crestview, Baker County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2004-09-15 | Hoggard Mill, Baker County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 1997-10-26 | Milford, Baker County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-04-04 | Baker County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Baker County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHawkinstown, Baker County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindMimsville, Baker County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindElmodel, Baker County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Thunderstorm WindNewton, Baker County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-18 | Heavy SnowBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoNewton, Baker County An EF-2 tornado touched down in rural Baker County west of Newton, then traveled rapidly northeast, and caused extensive damage to a mobile home park a mile north of Newton. Six people died and three were injured when their mobile homes were demolished by the tornado. A church was destroyed on State Highway 37 a few ... | EF2 14.8 mi x 200 yd | 6 | 3 | $1.8M |
| 1998-03-08 | FloodBaker County · forecast zone Baker An intense Gulf storm produced 5 to 12 inches of rain across much of southwest Georgia on March 7-9 which caused widespread flooding. Baker, Ben Hill, Cook, Colquitt, Dougherty, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Terrell, Decatur, Early, Brooks, Colquitt, Clay, Seminole, Calhoun, Thomas, and Worth counties were declared federal ... | 1 | 0 | $9.1M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 0 | 0 | $85M | |
| 1998-03-08 | FloodBaker County · forecast zone Baker | 1 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoNewton, Baker County | EF2 14.8 mi x 200 yd | 6 | 3 | $1.8M |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormBaker County and 2 more · forecast zone Miller | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2002-09-14 | Tropical StormBaker County and 2 more · forecast zone Miller | 0 | 0 | $820K | |
| 2009-04-03 | FloodNewton, Baker County | 0 | 0 | $688K | |
| 1998-03-08 | FloodBaker County and 2 more · forecast zone Miller | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 2004-09-15 | Tropical StormBaker County and 2 more · forecast zone Miller | 0 | 0 | $391K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 4, 1980 (tornado, Baker 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 Baker 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 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 25 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 59 | 11 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 11 | 3 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 19 · Feb 14 · Mar 19 · Apr 22 · May 13 · Jun 16 · Jul 35 · Aug 21 · Sep 22 · Oct 10 · Nov 12 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Baker County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Baker County: 13 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 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 |
| 2017-01-26 | DR-4297 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2017-01-25 | DR-4294 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2016-02-26 | DR-4259 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-04-23 | DR-1833 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2007-03-03 | DR-1686 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
| 1966-03-14 | DR-214 | Flood | Flooding |
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 Baker County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 12 flood or flash flood records for Baker County from 1998 to 2024, on 10 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Baker County ranks 1766th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $657,000 on 40 claims filed in Baker County; the most in one year was 15 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 1994: 6 · 1998: 15 · 1999: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 3; 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 Baker County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Baker County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $300K | 48 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $728K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $425K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $248K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $9K | once in about 1,286 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $54K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $32K | 4.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $13K | once in about 826 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Baker 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 Baker CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Baker County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis