Catoosa County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13047 · population 67,817 · 162 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 353 records for Catoosa County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 282 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (127 records). The deadliest single record is the April 27, 2011 tornado: 8 deaths, 30 injuries and $32.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1973, 15 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
- 353on 282 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 836 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $47Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Catoosa County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 127 since 1973. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in May and June. 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 | 127 | 91 | 1973-2025 | 0 | 4 | $1.1M | 18 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 48 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $1.8M | 6 of 159 |
| Hail | 48 | 45 | 1984-2025 | 0 | 0 | $393K | 18 of 159 |
| Drought | 38 | 38 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 8 of 159 |
| Floods | 18 | 15 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | 14 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 17 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 6 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 12 | 2002-2016 | 0 | 0 | $49K | 15 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1961-2020 | 8 | 30 | $36M | 56 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2001-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 159 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2004-2019 | 0 | 0 | $43K | 40 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 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 Catoosa County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Catoosa County from 1961 to 2020, the strongest rated EF4, with 8 deaths and 30 injuries recorded in the county. That is 56th of 159 Georgia 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Catoosa County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 22 people, 8 of them in Catoosa County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 18:15, as SPC files it | ClevelandCrossed GA, TN | EF4 | 48 mi | 20 |
| 2020-04-12 21:15, as SPC files it | ChattanoogaCrossed GA, TN | EF3 | 19.34 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Catoosa County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-12 | Cloud Springs, Catoosa County | EF1 4.93 mi x 580 yd | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2016-11-30 | Copeland, Catoosa County | EF0 1.29 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | $61K |
| 2014-10-06 | Copeland, Catoosa County | EF1 0.29 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $374K |
| 2011-04-27 | Blue Spring, Catoosa County | EF4 10.7 mi x 586 yd | 8 | 30 | $33M |
| 2010-10-25 | Keith, Catoosa County | EF0 0.17 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 1992-11-22 | Catoosa County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-03-08 | Catoosa County | F2 15.2 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Catoosa County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 17, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtCatoosa County · forecast zone Catoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtCatoosa County · forecast zone Catoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormCatoosa County · forecast zone Catoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtCatoosa County · forecast zone Catoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindKeith, Catoosa County | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindKeith, Catoosa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindShookville, Catoosa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindPoplar Springs, Catoosa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindCinderella Hills, Catoosa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindBlue Spring, Catoosa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindSummit Hill, Catoosa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindShookville, Catoosa County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoBlue Spring, Catoosa County A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF4 tornado, the first of this intensity to occur within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area (CWA), touched down in Catoosa county, just southwest of Ringgold along Davis Ridge Road. The tornado ... | EF4 10.7 mi x 586 yd | 8 | 30 | $33M |
| 2018-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindKeith, Catoosa County The Catoosa County Emergency Manager reported three people were injured when an outbuilding they were constructing collapsed due to strong thunderstorm winds. One person suffered a broken leg, the extent of the injuries to the other two people was not known. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $18K |
| 2011-01-09 | Heavy SnowCatoosa County · forecast zone Catoosa The Catoosa County 911 Center reported 6.0 inches of snow near Ringgold and 7.0 inches of snow near Fort Oglethorpe. The Catoosa County News reported that there were several vehicle accidents, some with minor injuries. The exact number of injuries was unknown. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2018-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindWestside, Catoosa County Multiple reports of wind damage were received from Fort Oglethorpe. Several trees were blown down in the Gilbert Stephenson Park area and some power poles were snapped. There was damage reported to the metal roof of a business and one person was slightly injured when struck by part of a falling tree. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $29K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoBlue Spring, Catoosa County | EF4 10.7 mi x 586 yd | 8 | 30 | $33M |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtCatoosa County · forecast zone Catoosa | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodLakeview, Catoosa County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2009-09-20 | Flash FloodLakeview, Catoosa County | 0 | 0 | $468K | |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodLakeview, Catoosa County | 0 | 0 | $468K | |
| 2014-10-06 | TornadoCopeland, Catoosa County | EF1 0.29 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $374K |
| 2020-04-12 | TornadoCloud Springs, Catoosa County | EF1 4.93 mi x 580 yd | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2010-10-25 | TornadoKeith, Catoosa County | EF0 0.17 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
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 8, 1961 (tornado, Catoosa 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 Catoosa 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 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 21 | 38 | 49 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 16 | 22 | 4 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 22 | 13 | 2 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 16 | 13 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 13 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 32 · Mar 41 · Apr 26 · May 42 · Jun 49 · Jul 40 · Aug 21 · Sep 27 · Oct 15 · Nov 9 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Catoosa County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Catoosa County: 9 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (4) and severe storm (4).
| 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 |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-04-29 | DR-1973 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2009-09-24 | DR-1858 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1995-10-10 | DR-1071 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1994-03-31 | DR-1020 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, and Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 1973-04-04 | DR-370 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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 Catoosa County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 18 flood or flash flood records for Catoosa County from 1996 to 2021, on 15 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Catoosa County ranks 708th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.6 million on 324 claims filed in Catoosa County; the most in one year was 84 in 2009. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 7 · 1980: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 11 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 27 · 1995: 22 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 2 · 2000: 15 · 2003: 26 · 2004: 16 · 2009: 84 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 15 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2017: 9 · 2018: 2 · 2020: 27 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2025: 30 · 2026: 5; 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 Catoosa County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Catoosa County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $27.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.8M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.4M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $132K | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $473K | 62 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $949K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 241 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $9K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Catoosa 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 Catoosa CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Catoosa County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis