Gadsden County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12039 · population 43,693 · 516 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 356 records for Gadsden County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 262 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (198 records). The deadliest single record is the October 10, 2018 hurricane, filed for the forecast zone Gadsden, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $529 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 39 declarations naming the county since 1985, 37 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 28, 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
- 356on 262 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 710 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $549Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 35strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 39latest 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 Gadsden County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 198 since 1958. The rank column places the county among Florida'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 | 198 | 129 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 1 | $592K | 23 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 31 | 1957-2024 | 2 | 6 | $14M | 30 of 67 |
| Drought | 34 | 34 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 67 |
| Hail | 31 | 28 | 1968-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 22 | 22 | 1996-2024 | 3 | 1 | $534M | 18 of 67 |
| Floods | 19 | 18 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $199K | 35 of 67 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2022-2026 | 0 | 0 | $50K | 28 of 67 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1997-2024 | 2 | 2 | $16K | 49 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | $749K | 8 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 67 |
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 Gadsden County had?
NOAA records 35 tornadoes in Gadsden County from 1957 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 2 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 30th of 67 Florida 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 35 tornadoes whose track touched Gadsden County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 35, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-12-19 02:15, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 0.3 mi | 1 |
| 1974-01-30 00:01, as SPC files it | Havana | F2 | 3.3 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Gadsden County (35)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-10 | Wetumpka, Gadsden County | EF0 2.18 mi x 1,100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | Sawdust, Gadsden County | EF1 15.04 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2023-04-27 | Havana, Gadsden County | EF0 1.48 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-29 | Gretna, Gadsden County | EF1 0.96 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2019-03-03 | Greensboro, Gadsden County | EF1 2.07 mi x 275 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2015-11-18 | Gretna, Gadsden County | EF0 2.67 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-11-17 | Sycamore, Gadsden County | EF1 7.14 mi x 420 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2012-03-03 | Wetumpka, Gadsden County | EF0 0.55 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-08 | Quincy, Gadsden County | EF0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-04-02 | River Junction, Gadsden County | EF0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-02-18 | Mt Pleasant, Gadsden County | EF1 6.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $274K |
| 2000-03-11 | Quincy, Gadsden County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-24 | Midway, Gadsden County | F1 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $368K |
| 1997-01-16 | Greensboro, Gadsden County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $919 |
| 1995-12-19 | Hinson, Gadsden County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 1995-12-19 | Mt. Pleasant, Gadsden County | F2 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 1 | 1 | $58K |
| 1995-11-11 | Wetumpka, Gadsden County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-04-04 | Gadsden County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-07-02 | Gadsden County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-02-17 | Gadsden County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-05-11 | Gadsden County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-01-30 | Gadsden County | F2 3.3 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1973-04-25 | Gadsden County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-10-27 | Gadsden County | F2 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-10-27 | Gadsden County | F2 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-06-25 | Gadsden County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1972-06-25 | Gadsden County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-06-27 | Gadsden County | F2 0.8 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-12-25 | Gadsden County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-02-15 | Gadsden County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-12 | Gadsden County | F1 4.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-06-01 | Gadsden County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-11-23 | Gadsden County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1961-06-20 | Gadsden County | F2 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-11-14 | Gadsden County | F2 0.7 mi x 33 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 Gadsden County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 7, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindJuniper, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindHavana, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindHardaway, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindFreemont, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindMidway, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindQuincy, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindChattahoochee, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindConcord, Gadsden County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtGadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Thunderstorm WindMidway, Gadsden County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-10 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Gadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden Hurricane Michael started as typical weak October Caribbean tropical system. However, after approximately a week of slow development, the system moved into warm Gulf of Mexico waters and rapidly intensified into a major hurricane as it moved north towards the Florida Panhandle. After a 2-day long intensification ... | 2 | 0 | $529M | |
| 1974-01-30 | TornadoGadsden County | F2 3.3 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1997-06-29 | LightningHavana, Gadsden County Three people working on a farm were headed for the shelter of their truck when a lightning bolt struck. The two survivors were knocked unconscious but recovered. Their friend and co-worker was apparently killed instantly by the strike. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 1995-12-19 | TornadoMt. Pleasant, Gadsden County A tornado destroyed a mobile home carrying the two residents over 125 yards. The men were found four hours later, one man (50) was dead, the other, his brother, (49) was severely injured. Items from the dwelling were found three miles away. M50MH | F2 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 1 | 1 | $58K |
| 2024-07-21 | LightningDouglas City, Gadsden County At 3:30 pm EDT on July 21, 2024, an employee working as a roofer for a roofing contractor was installing a single ply roof over an existing metal roof when a storm approached. As the crew was covering up their tools, the employee was struck by lightning. The employee died from multiple injuries due to the lightning ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormGadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden Rainfall from Fay varied between six and 14 inches. There were numerous downed trees and power lines throughout the county. Fifteen single family homes and six mobile homes were damaged by fallen trees and flooding. Several county roads were impassable due to debris, with some dirt roads undermined by flood waters. ... | 1 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2024-09-26 | Tropical StormGadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident. Multiple downed trees and poles/wires resulted in power outages. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2009-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindAltschul, Gadsden County A roof was blown off a house and several trees were down along Rich Bay Road. A downed tree fell through a mobile home and injured the lone occupant. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $41K |
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)Gadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 2 | 0 | $529M | |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormGadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 1 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2005-07-09 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Gadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 0 | 0 | $378K | |
| 1997-10-24 | TornadoMidway, Gadsden County | F1 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $368K |
| 2008-02-18 | TornadoMt Pleasant, Gadsden County | EF1 6.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $274K |
| 1998-09-28 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Gadsden County · forecast zone Gadsden | 0 | 0 | $272K | |
| 2024-05-10 | TornadoSawdust, Gadsden County | EF1 15.04 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2014-11-17 | TornadoSycamore, Gadsden County | EF1 7.14 mi x 420 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
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: January 30, 1974 (tornado, Gadsden County, 1 killed); June 20, 1961 (tornado, Gadsden County); November 23, 1961 (tornado, Gadsden 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 Gadsden 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 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 94 | 68 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 22 | 12 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 7 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
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 Gadsden County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 22 · Mar 26 · Apr 36 · May 44 · Jun 52 · Jul 44 · Aug 32 · Sep 24 · Oct 9 · Nov 14 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gadsden County
FEMA's register lists 39 declarations that include Gadsden County: 24 major disasters, 15 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (22) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-28 | DR-4828 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-24 | EM-3615 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024-08-10 | DR-4806 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2024-08-03 | EM-3605 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024-06-17 | DR-4794 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2023-08-31 | DR-4734 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2023-08-28 | EM-3596 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Idalia |
| 2022-12-13 | DR-4680 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2021-08-16 | EM-3562 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020-09-23 | DR-4564 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-09-15 | EM-3546 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4486 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3432 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-08-30 | EM-3419 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-10-11 | DR-4399 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018-10-09 | EM-3405 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-10 | DR-4337 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-05 | EM-3385 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-09-28 | DR-4280 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hermine |
| 2009-04-21 | DR-1831 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2008-08-24 | DR-1785 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2008-08-21 | EM-3288 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1595 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-16 | DR-1551 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-04 | DR-1545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| 2004-08-13 | DR-1539 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley |
| 2001-06-17 | DR-1381 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Allison |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1998-09-28 | DR-1249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges |
| 1998-09-25 | EM-3131 | Hurricane | Hurricane Grorges |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1195 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1994-07-10 | DR-1035 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding (Tropical Storm Alberto) |
| 1994-07-08 | EM-3114 | Flood | Tropical Storm Alberto |
| 1990-04-03 | DR-862 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-12-03 | DR-756 | Hurricane | Hurricane Kate |
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 Gadsden County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 19 flood or flash flood records for Gadsden County from 1998 to 2024, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gadsden County ranks 1759th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 2 |
| Tropical Storm Fay | 2008-08-22 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | 2024-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dennis | 2005-07-09 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Georges | 1998-09-28 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $328,000 on 41 claims filed in Gadsden County; the most in one year was 6 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1994: 6 · 1995: 5 · 1998: 5 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2024: 3; 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 Gadsden County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gadsden County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.3 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 | $609K | 78 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $6.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.0M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $496K | 24 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $246K | once in about 860 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $509K | 6.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.2M | 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 Gadsden 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 FloridaEvery Florida tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in FloridaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Florida recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Gadsden CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gadsden County's FEMA declarations (CSV)39 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis