Dougherty County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13095 · population 85,747 · 329 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 471 records for Dougherty County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 294 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (245 records). The deadliest single record is the January 22, 2017 tornado: 5 deaths, 32 injuries and $361 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1966, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 2024.
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
- 471on 294 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 574 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.1Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 2024
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 Dougherty County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 245 since 1961. 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 | 245 | 148 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 2 | $24M | 35 of 159 |
| Floods | 66 | 33 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $210M | 10 of 159 |
| Hail | 63 | 48 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 56 of 159 |
| Drought | 42 | 42 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 19 | 1951-2017 | 5 | 72 | $385M | 24 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 11 | 11 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $490M | 102 of 159 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | $122K | 53 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 5 | 4 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 131 of 159 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2010-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 111 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 88 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 115 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2010-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 73 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 Dougherty County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Dougherty County from 1951 to 2017, the strongest rated EF3, with 5 deaths and 72 injuries recorded in the county. That is 24th 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Dougherty County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 11 people, 5 of them in Dougherty County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 22:44, as SPC files it | Putney | EF2 | 30.53 mi | 6 |
| 2017-01-22 14:15, as SPC files it | Albany | EF3 | 70.4 mi | 5 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Dougherty County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-22 | Pretoria, Dougherty County | EF3 23.36 mi x 2,200 yd | 5 | 32 | $361M |
| 2017-01-02 | Turner City, Dougherty County | EF1 0.99 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-02 | Putney, Dougherty County | EF2 5.52 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $427K |
| 2004-09-16 | Williamsburg, Dougherty County | F0 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $117K |
| 2000-12-16 | Albany, Dougherty County | F2 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1997-10-26 | Albany, Dougherty County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1995-11-07 | Albany, Dougherty County | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 36 | $19M |
| 1994-06-16 | Albany, Dougherty County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $995 |
| 1992-11-12 | Dougherty County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-08-19 | Dougherty County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-05-01 | Dougherty County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1973-04-26 | Dougherty County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-02-13 | Dougherty County | F1 0.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1965-08-09 | Dougherty County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-03 | Dougherty County | F2 10.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1955-08-22 | Dougherty County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1954-07-24 | Dougherty County | F0 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1952-01-28 | Dougherty County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1951-11-16 | Dougherty County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Dougherty County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-05-22 | Thunderstorm WindTurner City, Dougherty County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | Thunderstorm WindEast Albany, Dougherty County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtDougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindEast Albany, Dougherty County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindTurner City, Dougherty County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtDougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtDougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoPretoria, Dougherty County A large, long-track tornado touched down near Dougherty/Baker Co. line and traveled over 70 miles across Dougherty, Worth, Turner, and Wilcox Counties in South Georgia. The tornado lifted just east of Abbeville. The tornado caused significant damage along the track, resulting in 5 fatalities in Albany. Severe tree ... | EF3 23.36 mi x 2,200 yd | 5 | 32 | $361M |
| 1995-11-07 | TornadoAlbany, Dougherty County A tornado first touched down on the north side of the Albany Dougherty County Airport then moved east north-east for five miles to just past U.S. Highway 19. In two spots along the path the tornado lifted briefly. One of these breaks in the damage path occurred at an elementary school that was in session. The worst ... | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 36 | $19M |
| 2002-12-24 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County Straight-line winds damaged several homes, an apartment complex, and downed numerous trees and power lines. One person suffered minor injuries. Reported by GEMA and SKYWARN spotter. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $410K |
| 2000-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County A large tree fell onto a vehicle injuring the driver. Several trees and power lines down in Albany. Reported by the Dougherty County EMA. | 0 | 1 | $17K | |
| 1989-05-01 | TornadoDougherty County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1966-02-13 | TornadoDougherty County | F1 0.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-03 | TornadoDougherty County | F2 10.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1952-01-28 | TornadoDougherty County | F1 2 mi x 100 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-10 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Dougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 0 | 0 | $483M | |
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoPretoria, Dougherty County | EF3 23.36 mi x 2,200 yd | 5 | 32 | $361M |
| 1998-03-08 | FloodDougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 0 | 0 | $208M | |
| 2017-01-02 | Thunderstorm WindLockett Crossing, Dougherty County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20M |
| 1995-11-07 | TornadoAlbany, Dougherty County | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 36 | $19M |
| 2017-09-10 | Tropical StormDougherty County · forecast zone Dougherty | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | |
| 2000-12-16 | TornadoAlbany, Dougherty County | F2 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1995-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindAlbany, Dougherty County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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: May 1, 1989 (tornado, Dougherty County); November 12, 1992 (tornado, Dougherty 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 Dougherty 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 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 27 | 26 | 93 | 62 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 22 | 38 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 7 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 31 | 10 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
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 Dougherty County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 46 · Feb 37 · Mar 32 · Apr 34 · May 45 · Jun 79 · Jul 78 · Aug 47 · Sep 33 · Oct 6 · Nov 14 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Dougherty County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Dougherty County: 12 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and severe storm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2018-10-14 | DR-4400 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018-10-10 | EM-3406 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-01-26 | DR-4297 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2017-01-25 | DR-4294 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2009-04-23 | DR-1833 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2007-03-03 | DR-1686 | 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 |
| 1995-12-20 | DR-1076 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 1966-03-14 | DR-214 | Flood | 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 Dougherty County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 66 flood or flash flood records for Dougherty County from 1998 to 2025, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Dougherty County ranks 279th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $28.4 million on 1,255 claims filed in Dougherty County; the most in one year was 540 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 6 · 1979: 5 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 6 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 7 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 540 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 512 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 21 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 29 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 11 · 2014: 4 · 2015: 11 · 2016: 15 · 2017: 7 · 2018: 12 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 29 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 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 Dougherty County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dougherty County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $35.7 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 | $951K | 70 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.9M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $736K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $406K | 39 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $967K | once in about 787 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Dougherty 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 Dougherty CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Dougherty County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis