Irwin County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13155 · population 9,611 · 354 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 252 records for Irwin County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 179 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (125 records). The deadliest single record is the April 5, 2011 thunderstorm wind: 1 death, 1 injury and $66,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1977, 12 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
- 252on 179 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 21 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $119Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Irwin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 125 since 1958. 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 | 89 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 1 | $1.9M | 111 of 159 |
| Drought | 37 | 37 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 of 159 |
| Hail | 30 | 23 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 121 of 159 |
| Floods | 24 | 11 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $857K | 84 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 10 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $105M | 113 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1966-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 114 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 6 | 6 | 2005-2025 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 111 of 159 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 128 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 130 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 107 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $54K | 135 of 159 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 1 | 0 | – | 138 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 131 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 Irwin County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Irwin County from 1966 to 2020, the strongest rated EF2, 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Irwin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Irwin County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-13 | Pinetta, Irwin County | EF1 1.92 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-12-17 | Waterloo, Irwin County | EF2 10.97 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2014-04-07 | Ocilla, Irwin County | EF1 1.93 mi x 165 yd | 0 | 0 | $87K |
| 2005-12-28 | Ocilla, Irwin County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $76K |
| 2002-12-24 | Ocilla, Irwin County | F1 0.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $410K |
| 2000-09-22 | Ocilla, Irwin County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 1972-01-13 | Irwin County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-05-29 | Irwin County | F0 0.1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-07-01 | Irwin County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-02-28 | Irwin County | F1 0.5 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 Irwin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindIrwinville Airport, Irwin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | Thunderstorm WindOcilla, Irwin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindOcilla, Irwin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindIrwinville, Irwin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-01 | DroughtIrwin County · forecast zone Irwin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindOcilla, Irwin County Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the county. One man was killed and his wife hospitalised when a tree crashed through their roof. Irwin county schools were closed for the day as a result of trees making roads impassable. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $66K |
| 2006-05-14 | LightningMystic, Irwin County A man was struck and killed by lightning outside his house. Reported by the Irwin County EMA. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-10-30 | Thunderstorm WindIrwinville, Irwin County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2000-03-30 | Flash FloodCountywide, Irwin County | 0 | 0 | $857K | |
| 2019-12-17 | TornadoWaterloo, Irwin County | EF2 10.97 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2002-12-24 | TornadoOcilla, Irwin County | F1 0.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $410K |
| 2000-09-22 | TornadoOcilla, Irwin County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 2008-02-26 | Thunderstorm WindOcilla, Irwin County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 2014-04-07 | TornadoOcilla, Irwin County | EF1 1.93 mi x 165 yd | 0 | 0 | $87K |
| 2011-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindOcilla, Irwin County | 60 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $66K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: February 28, 1966 (tornado, Irwin County); July 1, 1966 (tornado, Irwin County); May 29, 1970 (tornado, Irwin 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 Irwin 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 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 46 | 36 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 28 | 8 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
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 Irwin County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 16 · Feb 19 · Mar 35 · Apr 34 · May 38 · Jun 23 · Jul 37 · Aug 15 · Sep 8 · Oct 9 · Nov 6 · Dec 12 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Irwin County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Irwin County: 7 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and tropical storm (2).
| 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 |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 Irwin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 24 flood or flash flood records for Irwin County from 2000 to 2024, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Irwin County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,432 on 1 claim filed in Irwin County; the most in one year was 1 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2017: 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 Irwin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Irwin County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.6 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 Moderate | $495K | 68 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $598K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $324K | 25 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $696K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $672K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $118K | once in about 726 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $97K | 4.2 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Irwin 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 Irwin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Irwin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis