Habersham County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13137 · population 45,948 · 277 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 440 records for Habersham County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 367 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (125 records). The most damaging was the August 24, 2000 lightning ($1.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1976, 19 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
- 440on 367 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 020 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $34Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Habersham County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 125 since 1971. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 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 | 125 | 120 | 1971-2025 | 0 | 5 | $353K | 39 of 159 |
| Hail | 88 | 73 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 20 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 75 | 72 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $988K | 11 of 159 |
| Floods | 44 | 35 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 4 of 159 |
| Drought | 42 | 42 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 29 | 29 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $980K | 3 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 15 | 1976-2024 | 0 | 15 | $26M | 31 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 59 of 159 |
| Lightning | 4 | 3 | 2000-2008 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 80 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2020-2024 | 0 | 0 | $852K | 155 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1996-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 130 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 Habersham County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Habersham County from 1976 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries recorded in the county. That is 31st 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 18 tornadoes whose track touched Habersham County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people, 0 of them in Habersham County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-03-27 12:17, as SPC files it | Dahlonega | F3 | 44 mi | 3 |
| 2011-04-27 20:30, as SPC files it | Mountain | EF3 | 36.99 mi | 1 |
| 1994-03-27 14:04, as SPC files it | LongcreekCrossed GA, SC | F3 | 28 mi | 0 |
| 1989-11-15 18:30, as SPC files it | Clarkesville | F3 | 8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Habersham County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-25 | Clarkesville, Habersham County | EF0 0.67 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2020-04-13 | Mt Airy, Habersham County | EF0 1.31 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Raoul, Habersham County | EF1 5.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2011-04-27 | Batesville, Habersham County | EF2 5.06 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-16 | Cornelia, Habersham County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1997-02-21 | Cornelia, Habersham County | F1 14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 1994-06-27 | Cornelia, Habersham County | F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1994-06-26 | Clarksville To 4w Toc, Habersham County | F1 18 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 2 | $10.0M |
| 1989-11-15 | Habersham County | F3 8 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-04-04 | Habersham County | F2 8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-04-04 | Habersham County | F1 0.3 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-10-12 | Habersham County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1983-08-24 | Habersham County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-07-18 | Habersham County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-09-13 | Habersham County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-03-23 | Habersham County | F1 6.2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1976-05-14 | Habersham County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Habersham County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 7, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindBatesville, Habersham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | HailCornelia, Habersham County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindRaoul, Habersham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-02 | HailNew Switzerland, Habersham County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindRaoul, Habersham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-25 | HailMt Airy, Habersham County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-25 | HailCornelia, Habersham County | 1.00 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-10-12 | TornadoHabersham County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1993-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindHabersham County Windows were blown out of a mobile home in Habersham. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1989-11-15 | TornadoHabersham County | F3 8 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-04-04 | TornadoHabersham County | F2 8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1998-07-20 | Thunderstorm WindClarkesville, Habersham County In a cluster of thunderstorms across extreme northeast Georgia, one pulsed upward quickly and became severe. A damaging downburst caused a house under construction to collapse. Two people seeking shelter in the house, sustained minor injuries. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1994-06-26 | TornadoClarksville To 4w Toc, Habersham County A tornado touched down near Demorest along Georgia Highway 365, moved east and produced damage in the communities of Hazel Creek and Camp Creek. The tornado lifted and occasionally touched down along a heavily forested area along Georgia Highway 13. The tornado crossed the Habersham/Stephens county border near Georgia ... | F1 18 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 2 | $10.0M |
| 1979-03-23 | TornadoHabersham County | F1 6.2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-08-24 | LightningClarkesville, Habersham County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2007-04-08 | Frost/FreezeHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2004-09-16 | FloodHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1994-06-27 | TornadoCornelia, Habersham County | F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2002-12-04 | Ice StormHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | $820K | |
| 2020-10-29 | Tropical StormHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | $570K | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormHabersham County · forecast zone Habersham | 0 | 0 | $282K | |
| 1997-02-21 | TornadoCornelia, Habersham County | F1 14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $184K |
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 4, 1989 (tornado, Habersham County); November 15, 1989 (tornado, Habersham 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 Habersham 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 | 4 | 13 | 22 | 40 | 33 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 30 | 23 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 31 | 20 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 16 | 9 | 11 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 5 | 28 | 7 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 24 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 37 · Mar 34 · Apr 49 · May 40 · Jun 56 · Jul 45 · Aug 39 · Sep 32 · Oct 15 · Nov 18 · Dec 32 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Habersham County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Habersham County: 13 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and severe ice storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3642 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021-01-12 | DR-4579 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 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 |
| 2015-04-20 | DR-4215 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1994-03-31 | DR-1020 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, and Severe Storms |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-06-11 | DR-507 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Habersham County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 44 flood or flash flood records for Habersham County from 1996 to 2024, on 35 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Habersham County ranks 2061st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Zeta | 2020-10-29 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 22 claims filed in Habersham County; the most in one year was 14 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1994: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 14; 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 Habersham County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Habersham County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.9 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 Moderate | $623K | 62 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $289K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $5K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $555K | once in about 418 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $262K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.4M | 1.2 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 Habersham 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 Habersham CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Habersham County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis