Grady County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13131 · population 26,150 · 454 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 302 records for Grady County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 237 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (167 records). The deadliest single record is the February 14, 2000 tornado: 6 deaths, 15 injuries and $11.1 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1977, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 30, 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
- 302on 237 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 833 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $263Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 24strongest F3
- 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 Grady County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 167 since 1955. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. 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 | 167 | 124 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 95 of 159 |
| Drought | 43 | 43 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 22 | 1958-2026 | 6 | 33 | $36M | 41 of 159 |
| Hail | 23 | 19 | 1980-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 145 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 16 | 1998-2024 | 1 | 0 | $204M | 98 of 159 |
| Floods | 10 | 9 | 2000-2024 | 1 | 0 | $12M | 126 of 159 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 118 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 3 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 96 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 126 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 149 of 159 |
| Lightning | 2 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $82K | 146 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 137 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 Grady County had?
NOAA records 24 tornadoes in Grady County from 1958 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 6 deaths and 33 injuries recorded in the county. That is 41st 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 23 tornadoes whose track touched Grady County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 24: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 7 people, 6 of them in Grady County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-02-13 23:49, as SPC files it | Meigs | F3 | 15 mi | 7 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Grady County (24)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | Calvary, Grady County | EF0 1.78 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-07 | Moncrief, Grady County | EF1 1.14 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-07 | Akridge, Grady County | EF1 4.27 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| 2019-03-03 | Cairo, Grady County | EF2 2.68 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| 2016-03-31 | Elpino, Grady County | EF0 0.29 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2016-02-24 | Boydville, Grady County | EF1 12.81 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2015-11-01 | Elpino, Grady County | EF0 0.08 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2009-02-19 | Princes Still, Grady County | EF2 5.94 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2008-02-18 | Capel, Grady County | EF1 3.94 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 1 | $206K |
| 2004-09-15 | Whigham, Grady County | F1 15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $234K |
| 2003-02-16 | Cairo, Grady County | F1 0.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2001-03-15 | Whigham, Grady County | F2 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 9 | $1.7M |
| 2000-02-14 | Cairo, Grady County | F3 8.5 mi x 300 yd | 6 | 15 | $11M |
| 1995-11-11 | Cairo, Grady County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $387K |
| 1995-11-11 | Nickleville, Grady County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $194K |
| 1989-03-30 | Grady County | F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-30 | Grady County | F1 0.3 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-04-29 | Grady County | F2 10 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-01-15 | Grady County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-12-29 | Grady County | F2 5.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $3K step |
| 1969-04-18 | Grady County | F2 89.6 mi x 233 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-02-28 | Grady County | F1 2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-04-12 | Grady County | F1 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-08-17 | Grady County | F1 0.1 mi x 17 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 Grady County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindCairo-Grady Airport, Grady County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPrinces Still, Grady County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Grady County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWhigham, Grady County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Grady County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGrady County · forecast zone Grady | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGrady County · forecast zone Grady | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | TornadoCalvary, Grady County | EF0 1.78 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Grady County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindReno, Grady County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindElpino, Grady County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Grady 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-02-14 | TornadoCairo, Grady County A strong tornado tore through northern Grady County, then crossed into extreme northwest Thomas County. Fifteen homes were destroyed and numerous damaged. Fifteen persons were injured, mostly from flying debris. Six fatalities were confirmed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency: four deaths in mobile homes and ... | F3 8.5 mi x 300 yd | 6 | 15 | $11M |
| 2008-08-23 | Flash FloodBeachton, Grady County Many roads and low lying areas were flooded. More than 700 miles of county roads were were undermined by the flood waters. A teenage boy drowned when he fell into rushing flood waters of an overflowing lake in Deer Lake subdivision. A man was seriously injured trying to save the boy. Numerous homes in Cairo were ... | 1 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormGrady County · forecast zone Grady Rainfall from Fay varied between 15 and 24 inches. Numerous trees and power lines were down throughout the county. Power outages affected 10,000 residents, with 3,000 of those in Cairo. Many county roads were washed out by flood waters. Two dams were breached in Cairo, which destroyed a residential pumpkin patch and ... | 1 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2001-03-15 | TornadoWhigham, Grady County The F2 tornado raced northeast from just southeast of Climax in Decatur County to just southeast of Whigham in Grady County, then dissipated. Nine persons were injured, one critically. Ten homes were damaged and two homes destroyed on Piney Grove Road four miles southwest of Whigham. A half dozen homes were damaged ... | F2 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 9 | $1.7M |
| 1970-12-29 | TornadoGrady County | F2 5.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $3K step |
| 2019-03-03 | TornadoCairo, Grady County An EF-2 tornado, with maximum winds of 120 mph, tracked 2.7 miles across Grady County in the Cairo area. The tornado touched down on Monrovia Nursery, downing 100s of potted plants and numerous trees in the forest. The tornado continued to track northeastward, downing numerous trees, many of which fell on homes ... | EF2 2.68 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| 1971-04-29 | TornadoGrady County | F2 10 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 2008-02-18 | TornadoCapel, Grady County The same supercell thunderstorm which spawned the brief EF0 tornado in southeast Decatur County produced an EF1 tornado just west of State Highway 93 on Courtney Lane. Mobile homes along Courtney Lane suffered minor roof damage and skirting was torn from their bases. Also, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. The ... | EF1 3.94 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 1 | $206K |
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)Grady County · forecast zone Grady | 0 | 0 | $189M | |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormGrady County · forecast zone Grady | 1 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2008-08-23 | Flash FloodBeachton, Grady County | 1 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2000-02-14 | TornadoCairo, Grady County | F3 8.5 mi x 300 yd | 6 | 15 | $11M |
| 2001-03-15 | TornadoWhigham, Grady County | F2 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 9 | $1.7M |
| 2009-02-19 | TornadoPrinces Still, Grady County | EF2 5.94 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2019-03-03 | TornadoCairo, Grady County | EF2 2.68 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| 2025-04-07 | TornadoAkridge, Grady County | EF1 4.27 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
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: April 29, 1971 (tornado, Grady 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 Grady 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 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 33 | 67 | 41 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 31 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 30 · Mar 37 · Apr 22 · May 16 · Jun 41 · Jul 46 · Aug 29 · Sep 20 · Oct 7 · Nov 20 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Grady County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Grady County: 9 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3607 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 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 |
| 2009-04-23 | DR-1833 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-24 | DR-1560 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 2000-02-15 | DR-1315 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms/Tornados |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-10-19 | DR-1042 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornados, Flooding, High Winds |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
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 Grady County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 10 flood or flash flood records for Grady County from 2000 to 2024, on 9 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Grady County ranks 2262nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Debby | 2024-08-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | 2004-09-05 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $168,000 on 13 claims filed in Grady County; the most in one year was 2 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 2 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2021: 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 Grady County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Grady County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $340K | 74 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $221K | 32 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $300K | 5.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.8M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $220K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Grady 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 Grady CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Grady County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis