Hamilton County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12047 · population 13,941 · 514 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 277 records for Hamilton County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 185 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (151 records). The deadliest single record is the April 7, 2018 lightning: 1 death and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 37 declarations naming the county since 1973, 35 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Milton” on October 11, 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
- 277on 185 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 36 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.1Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 37latest 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 Hamilton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 151 since 1984. 40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1984 fell in June and July. 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 | 151 | 107 | 1984-2026 | 0 | 0 | $638K | 33 of 67 |
| Hail | 51 | 33 | 1989-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 22 | 19 | 2004-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 67 |
| Drought | 14 | 7 | 2025-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 67 |
| Floods | 13 | 11 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 52 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 9 | 8 | 2004-2024 | 2 | 1 | – | 57 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1961-2013 | 0 | 0 | $907K | 65 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 1998-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 67 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2008-2018 | 1 | 5 | – | 54 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 2 | 2 | 2018-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 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 Hamilton County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Hamilton County from 1961 to 2013, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Hamilton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Hamilton County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-31 | West Lake, Hamilton County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-03-13 | Jasper, Hamilton County | F2 3.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $133K |
| 1999-11-01 | Jasper, Hamilton County | F0 5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1998-02-16 | Jasper, Hamilton County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $63K |
| 1997-10-26 | Jasper, Hamilton County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1988-04-19 | Hamilton County | F2 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-12-28 | Hamilton County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-31 | Hamilton County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Hamilton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 17, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindJasper, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindJennings, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSuwannee Spgs, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHamilton County · forecast zone Wr Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHamilton County · forecast zone Eastern Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindPurvis Still, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindAvoca, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHamilton County · forecast zone Eastern Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHamilton County · forecast zone Wr Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHamilton County · forecast zone Wr Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHamilton County · forecast zone Eastern Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindJasper, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-04-07 | LightningWhite Spgs, Hamilton County A lightning strike killed one woman and injured 4 others at the Woodpecker Mud Bog event near White Springs. | 1 | 4 | – | |
| 2004-09-25 | Tropical StormHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton Hurricane "Jeanne"Hurricane "Jeanne" made landfall along the central Florida east coast, very near the location of Hurricane "Frances" some two weeks earlier. Like "Frances" this system moved west-northwest across central Florida and then northwestwards into southern Georgia. This motion once again brought the area ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-09-04 | Tropical StormHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton Hurricane "Frances"Hurricane "Frances" made landfall along the central Florida coast and, as a weakening system, moved west-northwest across central Florida and then northwestwards into southwest Georgia. This motion brought the area into the periphery of the storm and north Florida experienced sustained tropical ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-08-30 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Hamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton Hamilton County was heavily impacted by Hurricane Idalia in the morning and early afternoon as the eyewall crossed the western tier of the county. Extensive countywide wind damage occurred. NWS Storm Survey results estimated peak winds of 80-90 mph with gusts near 100 mph just north of the Suwannee River State Park in ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2008-02-26 | LightningJasper, Hamilton County Emergency management reported one female county employee indirectly struck by lightning while on the phone. EMS treated and released her. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-03-01 | FloodHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1998-02-15 | Thunderstorm WindJasper, Hamilton County | 0 | 0 | $453K | |
| 2012-06-26 | Flash FloodWhite Spgs, Hamilton County | 0 | 0 | $257K | |
| 2001-03-13 | TornadoJasper, Hamilton County | F2 3.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $133K |
| 1998-02-16 | TornadoJasper, Hamilton County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $63K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindJasper, Hamilton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1999-11-01 | TornadoJasper, Hamilton County | F0 5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1997-10-26 | TornadoJasper, Hamilton County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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: April 19, 1988 (tornado, Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 55 | 48 | 28 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 34 | 4 | 3 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 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?
40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1984 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 9 · Feb 20 · Mar 35 · Apr 35 · May 31 · Jun 57 · Jul 41 · Aug 15 · Sep 9 · Oct 3 · Nov 10 · Dec 12 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hamilton County
FEMA's register lists 37 declarations that include Hamilton County: 21 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (16) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-11 | DR-4834 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2024-10-07 | EM-3622 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 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 |
| 2021-07-04 | EM-3561 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Elsa |
| 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 |
| 2012-07-03 | DR-4068 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
| 2007-05-07 | FM-2689 | Fire | Suwannee Fire Complex |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-26 | DR-1561 | Hurricane | Hurricane Jeanne |
| 2004-09-04 | DR-1545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| 2004-08-13 | DR-1539 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley |
| 2001-02-05 | DR-1359 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 2000-06-05 | FM-2306 | Fire | Fl, Suwannee Fire Complex |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1999-04-20 | FM-2258 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/13/99 |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1195 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1993-03-13 | DR-982 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, Freezing |
| 1973-05-26 | DR-387 | 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 Hamilton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Hamilton County from 1998 to 2023, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hamilton County ranks 1227th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Jeanne | 2004-09-25 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Frances | 2004-09-04 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Idalia | 2023-08-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | 2012-06-26 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.6 million on 116 claims filed in Hamilton County; the most in one year was 21 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1984: 21 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 17 · 1991: 19 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1998: 21 · 2004: 4 · 2005: 3 · 2009: 19 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2018: 1 · 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 Hamilton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hamilton County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.6 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 | $698K | 79 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.8M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $106K | once in about 657 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $151K | 4.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $37K | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $396K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $300K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $94K | once in about 971 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hamilton 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 Hamilton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hamilton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)37 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis