Jefferson County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12065 · population 14,359 · 598 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 450 records for Jefferson County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 269 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (259 records). The deadliest single record is the August 22, 2008 tropical storm, filed for the forecast zone Jefferson, which covers the county: 1 death and $2.1 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 39 declarations naming the county since 1973, 37 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 28, 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
- 450on 269 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $94Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 39latest 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 Jefferson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 259 since 1971. 41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 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 | 259 | 152 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 0 | $713K | 21 of 67 |
| Drought | 54 | 33 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 42 | 28 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $91M | 14 of 67 |
| Hail | 22 | 21 | 1967-2023 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 54 of 67 |
| Floods | 17 | 13 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $636K | 51 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 16 | 1968-2024 | 0 | 1 | $657K | 56 of 67 |
| Heat | 14 | 7 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 5 | 2011-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 3 | 2022-2026 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 36 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 5 | 3 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | $749K | 14 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 64 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Jefferson County from 1968 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Jefferson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-03-03 19:18, as SPC files it | Lloyd | EF3 | 8.83 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Jefferson County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-10 | Lamont, Jefferson County | EF0 2.98 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-03-09 | Fincher, Jefferson County | EF1 0.67 mi x 355 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-02-04 | Drifton, Jefferson County | EF0 0.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-16 | Hell's Half Acre, Jefferson County | EF0 6.37 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-03-31 | Lamont, Jefferson County | EF1 3.39 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2019-03-03 | Lloyd, Jefferson County | EF2 3.76 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-10-08 | Lloyd, Jefferson County | EF1 0.77 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-08-23 | Capps, Jefferson County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-02 | Monticello, Jefferson County | EF0 2.28 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2004-09-16 | Lloyd, Jefferson County | F0 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2000-09-22 | Wacissa, Jefferson County | F0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2000-09-22 | Waukeenah, Jefferson County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 1979-11-11 | Jefferson County | F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-06-14 | Jefferson County | F1 10 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-10-27 | Jefferson County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1971-05-08 | Jefferson County | F1 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-05-19 | Jefferson County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Jefferson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 20, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindLois, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindDrifton, Jefferson County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindWaukeenah, Jefferson County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindLois, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindCody, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Coastal Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Coastal Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Coastal Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson Rainfall from Fay varied between ten and 20 inches. Numerous trees and power lines were down throughout the county. A few county roads were closed by debris and several dirt roads were washed out. Twenty-one homes were damaged and two were destroyed by fallen trees and flooding. | 1 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 1972-10-27 | TornadoJefferson County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-30 | Tropical StormJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $70M | |
| 2024-09-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2024-08-05 | Tropical StormJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 1 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2017-09-10 | Tropical StormJefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1998-09-28 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $905K | |
| 2016-09-01 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jefferson County · forecast zone Inland Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $839K | |
| 2004-09-05 | Tropical StormJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $469K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: October 27, 1972 (tornado, Jefferson County); June 14, 1975 (tornado, Jefferson County); November 11, 1979 (tornado, Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 21 | 103 | 113 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 29 | 25 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 12 | 11 | 16 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% 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 27 · Feb 28 · Mar 34 · Apr 46 · May 43 · Jun 89 · Jul 48 · Aug 60 · Sep 34 · Oct 16 · Nov 11 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jefferson County
FEMA's register lists 39 declarations that include Jefferson County: 25 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (21) and severe storm (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2022-11-08 | EM-3587 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2021-08-16 | EM-3562 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2021-07-04 | EM-3561 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Elsa |
| 2020-09-23 | DR-4564 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 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 |
| 2016-09-28 | DR-4280 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hermine |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1595 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-26 | DR-1561 | Hurricane | Hurricane Jeanne |
| 2004-09-16 | DR-1551 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-04 | DR-1545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| 2004-08-13 | DR-1539 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley |
| 2001-06-17 | DR-1381 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Allison |
| 2000-10-03 | DR-1344 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1998-09-28 | DR-1249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1985-12-03 | DR-756 | Hurricane | Hurricane Kate |
| 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for Jefferson County from 1998 to 2025, on 13 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jefferson County ranks 2128th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Fay | 2008-08-22 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | 2024-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Debby | 2024-08-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Idalia | 2023-08-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Hermine | 2016-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dennis | 2005-07-09 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Frances | 2004-09-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Georges | 1998-09-28 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $88,000 on 18 claims filed in Jefferson 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
1984: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2004: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2022: 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 Jefferson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.3 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 | $2.9M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $114K | once in about 913 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $865K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $947K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $160K | 79 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $172K | 6.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $90K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $9K | 3.8 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jefferson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)39 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis