DeKalb County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13089 · population 763,614 · 268 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 779 records for DeKalb County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 464 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (292 records). The deadliest single record is the May 17, 2004 lightning: 1 death and 1 injury. 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
- 779on 464 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 930 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $143Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest F3
- 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 DeKalb County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 292 since 1963. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in July and August. 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 | 292 | 191 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 6 | $2.7M | 7 of 159 |
| Hail | 127 | 100 | 1969-2021 | 0 | 0 | $26M | 5 of 159 |
| Floods | 70 | 56 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $25M | 1 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 61 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | 26 of 159 |
| Drought | 58 | 37 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 40 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 39 | 25 | 1998-2022 | 6 | 14 | $3.9M | 5 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 37 | 18 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 1 | $15M | 31 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 159 |
| Heat | 22 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 1 | 0 | – | 35 of 159 |
| Lightning | 17 | 16 | 1999-2021 | 1 | 6 | $1.5M | 16 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 16 | 1950-2026 | 1 | 3 | $65M | 19 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 5 | 2001-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 2 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 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 DeKalb County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in DeKalb County from 1950 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 3 injuries recorded in the county. That is 19th 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched DeKalb County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people, 1 of them in DeKalb County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-03-31 16:30, as SPC files it | Stonecrest to Monroe | F2 | 72.4 mi | 2 |
| 1972-01-10 10:25, as SPC files it | Atlanta | F3 | 6.3 mi | 1 |
| 2008-03-14 19:38, as SPC files it | Atlanta | EF2 | 6.25 mi | 1 |
| 1998-04-08 22:35, as SPC files it | Sandy Springs to Johns Creek | F2 | 19 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for DeKalb County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Snapfinger, DeKalb County | EF0 2.77 mi x 135 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-29 | Dunwoody, DeKalb County | EF0 0.51 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $188K |
| 2023-01-03 | Klondike, DeKalb County | EF0 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-10-10 | Glen Haven, DeKalb County | EF0 1.68 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2017-05-04 | Avondale Estates, DeKalb County | EF0 1.1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2015-11-18 | Rehoboth, DeKalb County | EF0 0.12 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2008-03-14 | Vista Grove, DeKalb County | EF1 1.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 1998-04-08 | Dunwoody, DeKalb County | F2 4 mi x 800 yd | 1 | 0 | $45M |
| 1984-07-31 | DeKalb County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-07-23 | DeKalb County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-05-08 | DeKalb County | F2 2.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1976-05-14 | DeKalb County | F1 0.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1972-01-10 | DeKalb County | F3 3.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-08-12 | DeKalb County | F1 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-06-30 | DeKalb County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1950-06-04 | DeKalb County | F1 3.3 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 DeKalb County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | TornadoSnapfinger, DeKalb County | EF0 2.77 mi x 135 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindPanola, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBermuda, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCollinsville, DeKalb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindSnapfinger, DeKalb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLithonia, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGresham Park, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHenrico, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGresham Park, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGresham Park, DeKalb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindSnapfinger, DeKalb County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-17 | LightningDunwoody, DeKalb County The Atlanta-Journal/Constitution reported that a 34-year old man of Douglasville, who was installing a pool at a private residence, was struck and killed by lightning while leaning against a truck outside at the site. The bolt of lightning struck the ground about 30 feet from where the individual was located at the ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-01-03 | Strong WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb Strong post-frontal winds combined with saturated grounds brought down a large tree on a home, killing one person. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $25K |
| 2016-01-23 | Strong WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb At approximately 12:30 PM EST northwest winds of 20 to 25 MPH with gusts 30 to 40 MPH caused a tree to fall at the Mystery Valley Golf Club in Lithonia. The tree struck a United States Postal Service vehicle driven by a 36 year old male postal worker. The vehicle left the roadway and travelled down a hill before ... | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $31K |
| 2011-04-05 | Strong WindDeKalb County and Fulton County · forecast zone North Fulton The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a 22-year old male was killed when a large tree fell on his vehicle while driving along Tilden Street in the Howell Station neighborhood of Atlanta. The tree was weakened by severe thunderstorms the evening before. However, wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph were common in the ... | 30 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $26K |
| 2009-04-13 | High WindDeKalb County and Fulton County · forecast zone North Fulton The Fulton County Emergency Management Director reported that several trees were down in the northern portion of the county. A tree had fallen on a home at 125 West Spalding Drive in Sandy Springs causing extensive damage to the home. An individual was killed on Nacoochee Drive near the Peachtree Battle Shopping ... | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $344K |
| 2008-03-04 | Strong WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb The Atlanta Police Department, as well as the local Atlanta television stations, reported that a strong winds following a cold frontal passage combined with wet soils caused a tree to fall down on a Georgia Power truck. The employee was killed when the tree fell on his truck at the intersection of Memorial Drive and ... | 33 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $69K |
| 2007-08-01 | Excessive HeatDeKalb County and Fulton County · forecast zone North Fulton The Atlanta-Journal and Constitution reported that an 87-year old woman was found dead in her home on the morning of August 12th as a result of the heat. She was found in a closed apartment with the air conditioning turned off. Her body temperature was determined to be 102 degrees. This was the first heat-related ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-07-10 | Strong WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb Strong winds, associated with the remnants of Hurricane Dennis, affected much of west Georgia from the late evening hours on the 10th through the early morning hours of the 11th. Sustained winds during this period were mostly 15 to 25 mph, but some gusts to near 40 mph were reported. The strong winds combined with ... | 34 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $76K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-04-08 | TornadoDunwoody, DeKalb County | F2 4 mi x 800 yd | 1 | 0 | $45M |
| 2017-09-11 | Tropical StormDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 1 | $14M | |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodDunwoody, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $8.4M | |
| 2004-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $7.8M | |
| 2005-02-21 | HailDruid Hills, DeKalb County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7.0M |
| 2007-06-12 | HailStone Mtn, DeKalb County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $6.4M |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodDunwoody, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $4.4M | |
| 2021-04-24 | HailDeerwood Park, DeKalb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.4M |
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: May 8, 1978 (tornado, DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 | 3 | 8 | 33 | 51 | 33 | 54 | 110 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 38 | 49 | 22 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 34 | 21 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 30 | 22 | 5 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 36 | 13 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 31 | 4 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 73 · Feb 53 · Mar 53 · Apr 70 · May 72 · Jun 82 · Jul 151 · Aug 87 · Sep 65 · Oct 22 · Nov 20 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for DeKalb County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include DeKalb County: 9 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. 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 |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-09-24 | DR-1858 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-03-20 | DR-1750 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1554 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 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 |
| 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 DeKalb County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 70 flood or flash flood records for DeKalb County from 1997 to 2023, on 56 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), DeKalb County ranks 191st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-11 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-16 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $29.2 million on 1,998 claims filed in DeKalb County; the most in one year was 468 in 2009. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 60 · 1980: 97 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 20 · 1983: 39 · 1984: 19 · 1985: 14 · 1987: 15 · 1988: 4 · 1989: 20 · 1990: 44 · 1991: 83 · 1992: 11 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 35 · 1995: 17 · 1996: 13 · 1997: 21 · 1998: 18 · 1999: 8 · 2000: 21 · 2001: 10 · 2002: 8 · 2003: 111 · 2004: 244 · 2005: 37 · 2006: 10 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 11 · 2009: 468 · 2010: 29 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 9 · 2013: 61 · 2014: 15 · 2015: 70 · 2016: 21 · 2017: 46 · 2018: 28 · 2019: 23 · 2020: 73 · 2021: 20 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 102 · 2025: 7; 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 DeKalb County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates DeKalb County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $153 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 | Very High | $3.7M | 61 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very High | $1.7M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $6.2M | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $97M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $15M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.2M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $9.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $13M | once in about 488 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with DeKalb 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 DeKalb CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download DeKalb County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis