Laurens County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13175 · population 49,463 · 807 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 560 records for Laurens County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 387 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (291 records). The deadliest single record is the February 6, 2013 dense fog, filed for the forecast zone Laurens, which covers the county: 4 deaths and $1.1 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1966, 17 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
- 560on 387 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 814 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $37Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 36strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Laurens County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 291 since 1961. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 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 | 291 | 217 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 9 | $5.0M | 101 of 159 |
| Hail | 92 | 71 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $918K | 92 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 36 | 26 | 1956-2026 | 2 | 5 | $9.3M | 89 of 159 |
| Drought | 31 | 31 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 138 of 159 |
| Floods | 28 | 17 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | $304K | 122 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 21 | 17 | 2002-2024 | 2 | 0 | $1.6M | 131 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 104 of 159 |
| Lightning | 13 | 13 | 1999-2021 | 0 | 0 | $700K | 62 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 109 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 10 | 9 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $159K | 136 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 6 | 1998-2008 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 112 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2002-2013 | 4 | 0 | $1.1M | 104 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2001-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 128 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 Laurens County had?
NOAA records 36 tornadoes in Laurens County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 2 deaths and 5 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 34 tornadoes whose track touched Laurens County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 36: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-11 04:36, as SPC files it | East Dublin | EF2 | 13.79 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Laurens County (36)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | Harlow, Laurens County | EF0 2.57 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Rentz, Laurens County | EF1 0.83 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-09 | Westbrook, Laurens County | EF0 8.61 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-25 | Cadwell, Laurens County | EF0 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-25 | Cadwell, Laurens County | EF0 1.53 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-06 | Nameless, Laurens County | EF1 14.56 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-06 | Laurens Hill, Laurens County | EF1 4.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-06 | Montrose, Laurens County | EF0 2.01 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | Alcorns, Laurens County | EF1 1.43 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-19 | Cedar Grove, Laurens County | EF1 4.45 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $87K |
| 2018-04-07 | Lollie, Laurens County | EF0 0.73 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2017-05-24 | Moores, Laurens County | EF0 2.27 mi x 240 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2017-04-05 | Five Points, Laurens County | EF2 17.39 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 2017-04-03 | Chappells Mill, Laurens County | EF0 0.82 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2017-01-21 | Tuckers Crossroad, Laurens County | EF0 2.18 mi x 85 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2015-04-19 | Alcorns, Laurens County | EF1 11.57 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $93K |
| 2014-02-21 | Dublin Municipal Airport, Laurens County | EF2 14.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2011-03-26 | Brewton, Laurens County | EF1 3.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2010-09-27 | Chappells Mill, Laurens County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2008-05-11 | Lowery, Laurens County | EF1 0.39 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2008-05-11 | Tuckers Crossroad, Laurens County | EF1 1.88 mi x 581 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2008-05-11 | Chappells Mill, Laurens County | EF2 13.79 mi x 250 yd | 2 | 2 | $1.9M |
| 2007-04-15 | Dublin, Laurens County | EF1 13.28 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $107K |
| 2007-04-15 | Cedar Grove, Laurens County | EF0 5.92 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2007-04-15 | Dublin, Laurens County | EF2 6.03 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $569K |
| 2005-12-28 | Cadwell, Laurens County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2005-12-28 | Dublin, Laurens County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $680K |
| 1996-11-08 | Dexter, Laurens County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1996-03-06 | Dublin, Laurens County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1995-05-15 | Dexter, Laurens County | F1 1 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 1977-07-13 | Laurens County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-01-13 | Laurens County | F2 11.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-06-03 | Laurens County | F0 0.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-03-31 | Laurens County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-08-31 | Laurens County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-08-31 | Laurens County | F0 0.3 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 Laurens County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | TornadoHarlow, Laurens County | EF0 2.57 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | TornadoRentz, Laurens County | EF1 0.83 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindDublin, Laurens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCedar Grove, Laurens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCedar Grove, Laurens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindHatoff, Laurens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindMoores, Laurens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-02-06 | Dense FogLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens Georgia State Patrol and several media outlets reported a multiple-vehicle accident along Interstate 16 at mile marker 38 near the Laurens/Twiggs county line. Twenty-seven vehicles, seven of them commercial trucks, were involved in the accident, which resulted in four fatalities and at least nine injuries. | 4 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoChappells Mill, Laurens County A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF2 tornado touched down in far northern Laurens county, just south of the Wilkinson county line. The tornado initially touched down as an EF0 tornado near the intersection of Old Macon Road and Oscar ... | EF2 13.79 mi x 250 yd | 2 | 2 | $1.9M |
| 2024-09-27 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Laurens County · forecast zone Laurens As of October 3, 2024, the Emergency manager in Laurens County accounted for around 40 homes that were destroyed due to trees coming down on them with 80+ structures sustaining – major – damage. These numbers will likely go up when final assessment is completed. The fatalities occurred when a tree fell on a home. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-04-15 | TornadoDublin, Laurens County A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA confirmed that an EF2 tornado had touched down in central Laurens county, about 8.5 miles south-southwest of Dublin, or just south of Garetta, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 441/319 and Georgia Highway 117. The tornado traveled ... | EF2 6.03 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $569K |
| 1997-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindDudley, Laurens County The weather event seemed to be a fast moving line of thunderstorms with two damage tracks. No hail was reported, lightning was present and the rain was not heavy. Wind damage was reported county wide with the more severe damage occurring in two separate tracks contained within ten miles either side of Interstate 16 ... | 0 | 3 | $46K | |
| 1993-08-04 | Thunderstorm WindE Dublin, Laurens County A large tree, toppled by thunderstorm winds, damaged a mobile home and injured three people seeking shelter from the storm. | 0 | 3 | $102K | |
| 2010-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindLovett, Laurens County The Laurens County Fire and Rescue Department reported that roof was blown off a pole barn at a residence three miles west of Lovett in extreme northeast Laurens county. A person in the pole barn at the time of the incident was injured by flying debris. In addition, one large pecan tree was also down in the area. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $9K |
| 2000-12-16 | Thunderstorm WindRentz, Laurens County The Laurens county Emergency Management director reported significant thunderstorm wind damage in the general area between Rentz and Garretta, about 6 miles southwest of Dublin. An Auto Body shop was damaged just northeast of Rentz along Georgia Highway 117 and a block house was destroyed on Doyle-Taylor Road. The ... | 0 | 1 | $257K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoChappells Mill, Laurens County | EF2 13.79 mi x 250 yd | 2 | 2 | $1.9M |
| 2008-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindDublin, Laurens County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2018-10-10 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Laurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoLowery, Laurens County | EF1 0.39 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2004-09-06 | High WindLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2013-02-06 | Dense FogLaurens County · forecast zone Laurens | 4 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2005-12-28 | TornadoDublin, Laurens County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $680K |
| 2014-02-21 | TornadoDublin Municipal Airport, Laurens County | EF2 14.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $623K |
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 13, 1972 (tornado, Laurens 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 Laurens 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 | 2 | 8 | 33 | 54 | 53 | 65 | 76 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 31 | 18 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 7 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 6 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 18 · Mar 57 · Apr 66 · May 64 · Jun 112 · Jul 73 · Aug 57 · Sep 29 · Oct 22 · Nov 16 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Laurens County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Laurens County: 9 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and tropical storm (2).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-05-23 | DR-1761 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1966-03-14 | DR-214 | Flood | 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 Laurens County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for Laurens County from 1997 to 2021, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Laurens County ranks 1669th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.3 million on 49 claims filed in Laurens County; the most in one year was 25 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 25 · 2000: 1 · 2009: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2022: 2; 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 Laurens County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Laurens County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 38 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 7.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $298K | 66 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $809K | once in about 490 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $105K | once in about 1,850 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $233K | 2.2 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 Laurens 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 Laurens CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Laurens County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis