Jeff Davis County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13161 · population 14,730 · 331 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 209 records for Jeff Davis County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 146 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (112 records). The deadliest single record is the September 27, 2024 hurricane, filed for the forecast zone Jeff Davis, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1977, 18 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
- 209on 146 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 20 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Jeff Davis County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 112 since 1980. 40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1980 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 | 112 | 89 | 1980-2026 | 0 | 0 | $248K | 100 of 159 |
| Hail | 39 | 31 | 1995-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 of 159 |
| Floods | 14 | 10 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 86 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 9 | 6 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 105 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1963-2021 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 122 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 6 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 159 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 2026-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 144 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 2004-2024 | 2 | 0 | – | 136 of 159 |
| Lightning | 6 | 5 | 2004-2015 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 66 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | $504K | 131 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 125 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 Jeff Davis County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Jeff Davis County from 1963 to 2021, the strongest rated EF1, 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 Jeff Davis 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 Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Jeff Davis County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-30 | Denton, Jeff Davis County | EF1 11.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-03 | Hazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-04 | Brooker, Jeff Davis County | EF1 1 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-12-24 | Hazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1998-01-22 | Hazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1987-07-29 | Jeff Davis County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-06-20 | Jeff Davis County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-01-20 | Jeff Davis County | F1 1 mi x 30 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 Jeff Davis County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 19, 2026 flash flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Heavy RainSnipesville, Jeff Davis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | FloodRoper, Jeff Davis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | Flash FloodRoper, Jeff Davis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | Flash FloodSnipesville, Jeff Davis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | Flash FloodHalls Spur, Jeff Davis County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-19 | Flash FloodHalls Spur, Jeff Davis County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtJeff Davis County · forecast zone Jeff Davis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtJeff Davis County · forecast zone Jeff Davis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtJeff Davis County · forecast zone Jeff Davis | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jeff Davis County · forecast zone Jeff Davis Widespread trees and powerlines were down throughout the county, many across roads and homes causing entrapments. At 2:15 am on 9/27, the EM reported a fatality in a mobile home. A follow-up media report indicated that there was a male and female killed in a mobile home along Highway 19 at Adams Cemetery Road when the ... | 2 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-31 | Strong WindJeff Davis County · forecast zone Jeff Davis | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $504K |
| 1998-01-22 | TornadoHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindHazelhurst, Jeff Davis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 20, 1963 (tornado, Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis 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 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 34 | 25 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 19 | 10 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
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 1980 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 21 · Feb 9 · Mar 21 · Apr 20 · May 29 · Jun 45 · Jul 25 · Aug 21 · Sep 10 · Oct 0 · Nov 3 · Dec 5 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jeff Davis County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Jeff Davis County: 11 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4821 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3607 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023-09-07 | DR-4738 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 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 |
| 2016-10-06 | EM-3379 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-02-26 | DR-4259 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1991-03-15 | DR-897 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Jeff Davis County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Jeff Davis County from 1998 to 2026, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jeff Davis County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 2 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $48,000 on 11 claims filed in Jeff Davis County; the most in one year was 2 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1998: 2 · 2003: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 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 Jeff Davis County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jeff Davis County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.4 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 | $2.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $343K | 23 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $897K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $124K | 69 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $165K | 3.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $435K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $116K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $191K | once in about 617 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jeff Davis County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis