Lowndes County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01085 · population 10,307 · 716 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 298 records for Lowndes County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 235 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (102 records). The deadliest single record is the January 9, 2011 ice storm, filed for the forecast zone Lowndes, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1975, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 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
- 298on 235 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 245 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $21Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest EF2
- 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 Lowndes County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 102 since 1962. The rank column places the county among Alabama'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 | 102 | 80 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 4 | $521K | 61 of 67 |
| Hail | 54 | 40 | 1974-2022 | 0 | 0 | $162K | 56 of 67 |
| Drought | 52 | 52 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 22 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 41 | $9.6M | 58 of 67 |
| Floods | 19 | 19 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $270K | 43 of 67 |
| Heat | 13 | 12 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 17 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 12 | 9 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $66K | 46 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 15 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 47 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 2004-2020 | 0 | 0 | $5.8M | 50 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2010 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 32 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 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 Lowndes County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Lowndes County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 41 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched Lowndes County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Lowndes County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-25 | Tyson, Lowndes County | EF1 2.75 mi x 65 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-29 | Tyson, Lowndes County | EF0 0.91 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-29 | Lum, Lowndes County | EF0 5.7 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | Lowndesboro, Lowndes County | EF0 2.89 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-07 | Hayneville, Lowndes County | EF0 2.9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-12-25 | Hayneville, Lowndes County | EF2 9.55 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-12-25 | Beechwood, Lowndes County | EF0 0.62 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-12-25 | Braggs, Lowndes County | EF1 2.03 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | Braggs, Lowndes County | EF1 17.64 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-15 | Tyson, Lowndes County | EF0 2.73 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2011-02-28 | Tyson, Lowndes County | EF1 4.96 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $79K |
| 2008-08-25 | Tyson, Lowndes County | EF0 0.05 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2008-02-17 | Collirene, Lowndes County | EF2 11 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 10 | $295K |
| 2007-10-23 | Lowndesboro, Lowndes County | EF1 3.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $121K |
| 2007-03-01 | Sandy Ridge, Lowndes County | EF2 3.13 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $71K |
| 2005-04-30 | White Hall, Lowndes County | F1 1.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $166K |
| 1998-09-28 | Letohatchee, Lowndes County | F0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 1996-03-18 | Gordonsville, Lowndes County | F2 16 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $235K |
| 1992-08-27 | Lowndes County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1979-11-25 | Lowndes County | F2 13.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 12 | $25K step |
| 1978-04-18 | Lowndes County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-11-10 | Lowndes County | F2 9.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-28 | Lowndes County | F2 6.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1963-04-29 | Lowndes County | F2 9.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-06-28 | Lowndes County | F1 13.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 8 | $250K step |
| 1957-06-28 | Lowndes County | F2 12.8 mi x 117 yd | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Lowndes County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 29, 2024 tornado (2 injuries).
A tornado began along Knight Place Rd and moved northeastward. Numerous trees were downed along or just west of the road, mainly limbs broken or uprooted trunks. A few small trees were snapped as well, along with downed power lines. A few structures sustained damage, including minor roof damage to a double-wide manufactured home, a single-wide manufactured home that was rolled over onto its roof, and a large open air shed that lost roof panels. Two people were injured in the overturned single-wide. The tree damage continued across County Road 45 into a large inaccessible area. Radar and satellite data were conclusive in showing that the tornado continued for a few more miles to the northeast, with significant tree damage on satellite imagery. Radar data and satellite show an east-southeast bend in the path before the tornado dissipated just west of Salem Church Rd. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1222518)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Flash FloodFostoria, Lowndes County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-17 | Funnel CloudSandy Ridge, Lowndes County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindFt Deposit, Lowndes County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | TornadoTyson, Lowndes County | EF1 2.75 mi x 65 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-01 | DroughtLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-01-09 | Ice StormLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes Freezing rain and sleet resulted in over one quarter inch ice accumulation on area roadways. In a few locations, near one half inch of ice accumulation was reported. Sleet accumulations up to 3 inches were also reported. Ice accumulations resulted in numerous accidents across the county. One vehicle accident resulted ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-08-08 | HeatLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes A large ridge of high pressure, combined with very dry ground from the recent drought, combined to produce the hottest month on record across Central Alabama in the month of August. The core of the heat wave started around August 4th, when the temepartures first topped the 100 degree mark in several cities. The heat ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1979-11-25 | TornadoLowndes County | F2 13.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 12 | $25K step |
| 2008-02-17 | TornadoCollirene, Lowndes County The tornado touched down in the Collirene Community, about 14 miles west of Hayneville. It then tracked northeastward, and ended just north of US Highway 80, several miles west of Lowndesboro. At least 11 structures, most of them mobile homes, were damaged with three of these being completely destroyed. Hundreds of ... | EF2 11 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 10 | $295K |
| 1957-06-28 | TornadoLowndes County | F1 13.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 8 | $250K step |
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoSandy Ridge, Lowndes County What would eventually become a large tornado first touched down in far southeastern Lowndes County, along US Highway 31 in the Sandy Ridge Community. The tornado tracked northeastward, roughly parallel to US 31, before moving into extreme southwestern Montgomery County. During its short path in Lowndes County, the ... | EF2 3.13 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $71K |
| 2005-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindHayneville, Lowndes County National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage across Central Lowndes County. Thedamage was determined to be the result of straight line thunderstorm winds. Damage was first observedalong County Road 17 between Panther Creek and Ash Creek Church. Damage continued eastward along County Road 13 for ... | 60 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $151K |
| 2024-12-29 | TornadoLum, Lowndes County A tornado began along Knight Place Rd and moved northeastward. Numerous trees were downed along or just west of the road, mainly limbs broken or uprooted trunks. A few small trees were snapped as well, along with downed power lines. A few structures sustained damage, including minor roof damage to a double-wide ... | EF0 5.7 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-09-25 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Butler County and Lowndes County · forecast zone Butler | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2005-07-10 | Tropical StormLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes | 0 | 0 | $378K | |
| 2001-08-06 | Tropical StormButler County and Lowndes County · forecast zone Butler | 0 | 0 | $333K | |
| 2008-02-17 | TornadoCollirene, Lowndes County | EF2 11 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 10 | $295K |
| 1996-03-18 | TornadoGordonsville, Lowndes County | F2 16 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $235K |
| 2005-04-30 | TornadoWhite Hall, Lowndes County | F1 1.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $166K |
| 2005-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindHayneville, Lowndes County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $151K |
| 2007-10-23 | TornadoLowndesboro, Lowndes County | EF1 3.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $121K |
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: June 28, 1957 (tornado, Lowndes County); August 27, 1992 (tornado, Lowndes County); April 29, 1963 (tornado, Lowndes 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 Lowndes 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 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 18 | 28 | 16 | 14 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 30 | 7 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 17 | 24 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
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 Lowndes County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 23 · Mar 44 · Apr 47 · May 23 · Jun 29 · Jul 23 · Aug 26 · Sep 12 · Oct 14 · Nov 16 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lowndes County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Lowndes County: 10 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3618 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020-12-10 | DR-4573 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-10-08 | EM-3394 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017-09-11 | EM-3389 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-01-21 | DR-4251 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-28 | DR-1971 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-27 | EM-3319 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3237 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1593 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 1998-09-30 | DR-1250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98 |
| 1995-10-04 | DR-1070 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3045 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-03-14 | DR-458 | 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 Lowndes County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 19 flood or flash flood records for Lowndes County from 1998 to 2026, on 19 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lowndes County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Dennis | 2005-07-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Georges | 1998-09-25 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $126,000 on 11 claims filed in Lowndes County; the most in one year was 6 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 1 · 1990: 6 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2017: 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 Lowndes County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lowndes County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $519K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $595K | 9.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $395K | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $98K | 25 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $124K | 70 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $155K | once in about 547 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $336 | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lowndes 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 AlabamaEvery Alabama tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in AlabamaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Alabama recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Lowndes CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lowndes County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis