Barrow County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13013 · population 83,288 · 161 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 338 records for Barrow County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 287 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (112 records). The deadliest single record is the May 11, 2008 strong wind, filed for the forecast zone Barrow, which covers the county: 1 death and $14,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1977, 12 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
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
- 338on 287 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 2026
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 Barrow County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 112 since 1959. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 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 | 112 | 105 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1.6M | 10 of 159 |
| Hail | 58 | 50 | 1984-2022 | 0 | 0 | $5.7M | 11 of 159 |
| Drought | 39 | 39 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | 7 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 13 of 159 |
| Lightning | 16 | 16 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | 10 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 15 | 15 | 2002-2020 | 0 | 0 | $90K | 9 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 14 | 1998-2013 | 1 | 4 | $1.0M | 9 of 159 |
| Floods | 13 | 12 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | $264K | 26 of 159 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1958-2017 | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | 96 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 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 Barrow County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Barrow County from 1958 to 2017, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Barrow County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Barrow County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-03-21 | Winder Airport, Barrow County | EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2005-08-29 | Winder, Barrow County | F0 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $227K |
| 1984-03-28 | Barrow County | F1 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1974-06-07 | Barrow County | F1 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-06-22 | Barrow County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Barrow County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 10, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtBarrow County · forecast zone Barrow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtBarrow County · forecast zone Barrow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormBarrow County · forecast zone Barrow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormBarrow County · forecast zone Barrow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | DroughtBarrow County · forecast zone Barrow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindWhistleville, Barrow County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindWinder Airport, Barrow County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-01-10 | Winter StormBarrow County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-03-21 | TornadoWinder Airport, Barrow County | EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2013-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindStatham, Barrow County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $253K |
| 2012-10-29 | Strong WindBarrow County and Jackson County · forecast zone Barrow | 37 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2012-07-26 | LightningWinder, Barrow County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-11 | Strong WindBarrow County and Jackson County · forecast zone Barrow The Barrow county Emergency Management Director reported that a 55-year old male was killed when a tree fell on him while grilling for a Mother's Day picnic. This occurred in northeast Barrow county about five miles north-northeast of Statham on Jones Road. He was pined underneath the 30-foot tall, 3-foot diameter ... | 39 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $14K |
| 2007-03-03 | Strong WindBarrow County and Jackson County · forecast zone Barrow The Gwinnett Daily Post reported that strong wind gusts resulted in a the collapse of a home under construction on Shumard Oak Drive in a new phase of the Chateau Elan subdivision in western Barrow county near the Gwinnett county line. All three workers had to be transported to a local hospital. One worker in the home ... | 35 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $213K |
| 2013-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindStatham, Barrow County The Barrow County Emergency Manager reported that nine trees were blown down, and two of them on houses. One of the trees on a house was on Nunnally Road, and the other on Soloman Drive. A resident on Nunnally Road had minor injuries, and the Red Cross was called for the Soloman Drive residence. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $253K |
| 2012-10-29 | Strong WindBarrow County and Jackson County · forecast zone Barrow Winder Police reported that two-year-old boy was critically injured when a tree limb fell on him while he was playing at his daycare at about 11:30 am EDT. Strong winds were reported through the late morning and into the afternoon hours, with the nearby KWDR ASOS reporting a peak gust of 43 mph at 3:55 pm EDT. | 37 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoBarrow County | F1 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtBarrow County and Jackson County · forecast zone Barrow | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | |
| 2012-07-26 | LightningWinder, Barrow County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2009-04-10 | HailWinder, Barrow County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2009-04-23 | HailAuburn, Barrow County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2008-07-22 | HailAuburn, Barrow County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2004-07-04 | LightningWinder, Barrow County | 0 | 0 | $391K | |
| 2003-08-28 | LightningWinder, Barrow County | 0 | 0 | $281K | |
| 2009-05-06 | LightningBethlehem, Barrow County | 0 | 0 | $275K |
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: March 28, 1984 (tornado, Barrow 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 Barrow 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 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 24 | 22 | 31 | 14 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 23 | 7 | 2 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 13 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 15 | 14 | 5 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 0 | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 29 · Mar 27 · Apr 38 · May 35 · Jun 40 · Jul 42 · Aug 30 · Sep 27 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Barrow County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Barrow County: 6 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (4) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3642 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2015-04-20 | DR-4215 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-10-10 | DR-1071 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 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 Barrow County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Barrow County from 2001 to 2020, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Barrow County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $346,000 on 11 claims filed in Barrow County; the most in one year was 3 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2003: 3 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2023: 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 Barrow County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Barrow County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $891K | 56 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $229K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $997K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $813K | once in about 507 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $491K | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $11M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $587K | 2.7 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Barrow 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 Barrow CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Barrow County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis