Bibb County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13021 · population 157,280 · 249 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 505 records for Bibb County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 397 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (241 records). The deadliest single record is the March 13, 1954 tornado: 5 deaths and 50 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1977, 14 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
- 505on 397 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 765 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $106Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Bibb County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 241 since 1962. 40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1962 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 | 241 | 204 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 6 | $3.3M | 4 of 159 |
| Hail | 98 | 80 | 1962-2023 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 7 of 159 |
| Drought | 31 | 31 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 53 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 24 | 1952-2026 | 5 | 57 | $85M | 2 of 159 |
| Floods | 21 | 19 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 25 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 18 | 17 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $362K | 30 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 13 | 1998-2009 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 23 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 11 | 2002-2026 | 2 | 0 | $38K | 66 of 159 |
| Lightning | 10 | 9 | 1999-2011 | 0 | 2 | $619K | 27 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 2001-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 4 | 2002-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 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 Bibb County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Bibb County from 1952 to 2026, the strongest rated EF3, with 5 deaths and 57 injuries recorded in the county. That is 2nd of 159 Georgia counties and 47th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched Bibb County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-03-13 21:20, as SPC files it | Macon-Bibb County | F3 | 49.5 mi | 5 |
| 2007-03-01 16:34, as SPC files it | Macon-Bibb County | EF3 | 9.72 mi | 0 |
| 1952-03-03 20:11, as SPC files it | Macon-Bibb County | F3 | 4.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Bibb County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Payne City, Bibb County | EF0 1.94 mi x 320 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Rivoli, Bibb County | EF1 3.39 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-06 | Dry Branch, Bibb County | EF1 1.42 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-31 | Avondale, Bibb County | EF0 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | Payne City, Bibb County | EF1 2.02 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Wesleyan College, Bibb County | EF1 3.68 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2019-03-03 | Bloomfield, Bibb County | EF0 1.07 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $115K |
| 2018-11-07 | Skipperton, Bibb County | EF0 7.59 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2017-08-04 | Walden, Bibb County | EF1 1.86 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2011-04-16 | Rivoli, Bibb County | EF1 3.46 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2011-04-05 | Walden, Bibb County | EF1 1.11 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2008-05-11 | Lizella, Bibb County | EF2 17.42 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6.9M |
| 2007-03-01 | Payne City, Bibb County | EF0 2.55 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $142K |
| 2007-03-01 | Lizella, Bibb County | EF3 3.16 mi x 448 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2002-11-10 | Lorane, Bibb County | F0 0.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 1983-04-23 | Bibb County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-04-13 | Bibb County | F1 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-04-13 | Bibb County | F1 4 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1972-04-07 | Bibb County | F1 2.7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-03-11 | Bibb County | F0 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-02-24 | Bibb County | F2 3.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-01-31 | Bibb County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1955-05-21 | Bibb County | F1 16.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1954-03-13 | Bibb County | F3 15.5 mi x 300 yd | 5 | 50 | $2.5M step |
| 1953-04-30 | Bibb County | F2 5.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1952-03-03 | Bibb County | F3 4.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $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.
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 Bibb County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | TornadoPayne City, Bibb County | EF0 1.94 mi x 320 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | TornadoRivoli, Bibb County | EF1 3.39 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindPayne City, Bibb County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindPayne City, Bibb County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtBibb County · forecast zone Bibb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtBibb County · forecast zone Bibb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormBibb County · forecast zone Bibb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtBibb County · forecast zone Bibb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-06 | TornadoDry Branch, Bibb County | EF1 1.42 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-06 | Thunderstorm WindRivoli, Bibb County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-31 | TornadoAvondale, Bibb County | EF0 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindRivoli, Bibb County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-03-13 | TornadoBibb County | F3 15.5 mi x 300 yd | 5 | 50 | $2.5M step |
| 2018-01-17 | Winter WeatherBibb County · forecast zone Bibb The ASOS observer measured an inch of snow accumulation at the Macon airport. The Bibb County Emergency Manager reported several accidents caused by the slick roads. On I-75 around mile marker 160, a car slid off of the roadway hitting the guardrail. A second car also lost control and slid off of the roadway at this ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1952-03-03 | TornadoBibb County | F3 4.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1991-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindBibb County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1987-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindBibb County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1955-05-21 | TornadoBibb County | F1 16.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 2010-08-14 | LightningSkipperton, Bibb County The Macon Telegraph reported that lightning struck a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier while placing mail in a mailbox on Rocky Creek Road in Macon. The female mail carrier was taken to the hospital after asking for medical attention, but did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2002-07-02 | LightningSkipperton, Bibb County An amateur radio operator reported that a person was struck and injured by lightning. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoLizella, Bibb County | EF2 17.42 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6.9M |
| 2011-03-26 | HailLizella, Bibb County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.0M |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoRivoli, Bibb County | EF1 3.46 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtBibb County · forecast zone Bibb | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2019-03-03 | HailSkipperton, Bibb County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 2015-04-25 | HailSkipperton, Bibb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 2011-03-26 | HailSkipperton, Bibb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 2008-05-10 | HailLizella, Bibb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 13, 1954 (tornado, Bibb County, 5 killed); May 21, 1955 (tornado, Bibb County); April 13, 1979 (tornado, Bibb 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 Bibb 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 | 17 | 31 | 64 | 38 | 60 | 29 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 38 | 15 | 2 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 17 | 8 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 14 | 1 | 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1962 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 28 · Mar 61 · Apr 65 · May 51 · Jun 67 · Jul 71 · Aug 58 · Sep 35 · Oct 14 · Nov 13 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bibb County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Bibb County: 7 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (5) and severe storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2018-10-10 | EM-3406 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-05-23 | DR-1761 | 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) |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & 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 Bibb County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Bibb County from 1997 to 2023, on 19 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bibb County ranks 1069th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-11 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.8 million on 155 claims filed in Bibb County; the most in one year was 33 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1983: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1992: 3 · 1994: 33 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 11 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 3 · 2009: 12 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 7 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 18 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 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 Bibb County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bibb County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $33.3 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 High | $893K | 63 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.3M | 6.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.2M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $862K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.1M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $17M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 530 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bibb 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 Bibb CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bibb County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis