Dade County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13083 · population 16,217 · 174 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 380 records for Dade County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 294 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (119 records). The deadliest single record is the April 27, 2011 tornado: 2 deaths, 25 injuries and $26.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1973, 18 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
- 380on 294 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 229 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $42Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Dade County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 119 since 1986. 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 | 119 | 89 | 1986-2025 | 0 | 4 | $3.3M | 26 of 159 |
| Hail | 68 | 55 | 1985-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 9 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 59 | 55 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 4 of 159 |
| Drought | 39 | 39 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 10 of 159 |
| Floods | 21 | 16 | 2003-2022 | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | 16 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 16 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 6 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 16 | 2002-2020 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 12 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 7 | 1984-2020 | 2 | 25 | $30M | 67 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2001-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 159 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2004 | 0 | 0 | $58K | 57 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 93 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 Dade County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Dade County from 1984 to 2020, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 25 injuries recorded in the county. That is 67th 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched Dade County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 14 people, 2 of them in Dade County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 15:01, as SPC files it | ScottsboroCrossed AL, GA | EF4 | 46.98 mi | 14 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Dade County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-12 | Gass, Dade County | EF1 5.59 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $798K |
| 2015-04-03 | Sulphur Spgs Station, Dade County | EF1 0.11 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-04-27 | Sulphur Spgs Station, Dade County | EF1 2.97 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $197K |
| 2011-04-27 | Gass, Dade County | EF3 9.52 mi x 1,056 yd | 2 | 25 | $26M |
| 2011-04-27 | Gass, Dade County | EF1 9.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2010-10-25 | Sulphur Spgs Station, Dade County | EF1 4.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $338K |
| 2001-11-24 | Head River, Dade County | F1 1.5 mi x 528 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 1992-11-22 | Dade County | F2 3.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-10-23 | Dade County | F1 1 mi x 37 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 Dade County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 25, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtDade County · forecast zone Dade | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | DroughtDade County · forecast zone Dade | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormDade County · forecast zone Dade | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtDade County · forecast zone Dade | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindMorganville, Dade County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindNew England, Dade County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-04-10 | HailCole City, Dade County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-10 | HailCole City, Dade County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-10 | HailCole City, Dade County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindNew England, Dade County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindNew England, Dade County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-01-21 | Winter StormDade County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoGass, Dade County A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City confirmed that an EF3 tornado, which originated in DeKalb county, Alabama, continued on an east-northeast track into and across central Dade county, Georgia and further east-northeast into Walker county before lifting just west ... | EF3 9.52 mi x 1,056 yd | 2 | 25 | $26M |
| 2003-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindTrenton, Dade County The Dade county Emergency Management Director reported that a microburst or downburst caused considerable damage to three structures on the west side of Trenton, as well as blowing down a number of trees and power lines in the area. A woman and her child were driving along Back Valley Road, just south of Georgia ... | 65 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $160K |
| 1998-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindTrenton, Dade County A downburst from a severe thunderstorm in the West Brow community destroyed one house, damaged another, and overturned a trailer. A man suffered a broken leg and his wife had cuts and bruises. Numerous trees were knocked down. A spotter reported dime size hail and winds estimated at 60 mph. | 0 | 2 | $136K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoGass, Dade County | EF3 9.52 mi x 1,056 yd | 2 | 25 | $26M |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtDade County · forecast zone Dade | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2004-09-16 | High WindDade County · forecast zone Dade | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoGass, Dade County | EF1 9.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2015-12-25 | Flash FloodRising Fawn, Dade County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2015-12-25 | Flash FloodWildwood, Dade County | 0 | 0 | $996K | |
| 2020-04-12 | TornadoGass, Dade County | EF1 5.59 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $798K |
| 2011-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCole City, Dade County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $656K |
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: November 22, 1992 (tornado, Dade 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 Dade 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 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 28 | 36 | 41 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 25 | 13 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 22 | 24 | 5 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 16 | 14 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 12 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 14 | 2 | 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 Dade County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 36 · Mar 31 · Apr 40 · May 50 · Jun 36 · Jul 33 · Aug 23 · Sep 20 · Oct 19 · Nov 21 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Dade County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Dade County: 11 major disasters, 8 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (5) 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 |
| 2016-11-13 | FM-5163 | Fire | Tatum Gulf Fire |
| 2016-02-26 | DR-4259 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2014-03-06 | DR-4165 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1554 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 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 |
| 1992-12-01 | DR-969 | Tornado | High Winds, Heavy Rains & Tornadoes |
| 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 Dade County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Dade County from 2003 to 2022, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Dade County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $109,000 on 9 claims filed in Dade County; the most in one year was 3 in 1995. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1995: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2022: 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 Dade County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dade County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.4 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 | $2.3M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $475K | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $5K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $51K | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $82K | 30 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $48K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.5M | 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 Dade 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 Dade CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Dade County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis