Lumpkin County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13187 · population 33,448 · 283 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 367 records for Lumpkin County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 307 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (92 records). 194 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the November 22, 1992 tornado: 1 death and 7 injuries. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1974, 21 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
- 367on 307 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 374 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $32Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Lumpkin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 92 since 1984. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1984 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 | 92 | 74 | 1984-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1.2M | 104 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 77 | 74 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $1.9M | 10 of 159 |
| Hail | 50 | 42 | 1963-2023 | 0 | 0 | $356K | 52 of 159 |
| Drought | 42 | 42 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 35 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 18 | 18 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $452K | 34 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 16 | 2001-2022 | 0 | 0 | $959K | 20 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 159 |
| Floods | 14 | 12 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $342K | 66 of 159 |
| Wildfires | 12 | 12 | 2008-2016 | 0 | 0 | $135K | 5 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1974-2021 | 1 | 22 | $24M | 76 of 159 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 2000-2018 | 0 | 51 | $423K | 55 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 80 of 159 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 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 Lumpkin County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Lumpkin County from 1974 to 2021, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 22 injuries recorded in the county. That is 76th of 159 Georgia counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 Lumpkin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 14 people, 1 of them in Lumpkin County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 18:30, as SPC files it | Nelson | F4 | 17.7 mi | 6 |
| 1994-03-27 12:17, as SPC files it | Dahlonega | F3 | 44 mi | 3 |
| 1994-03-27 13:23, as SPC files it | Sautee-Nacoochee | F3 | 23 mi | 3 |
| 2011-04-27 20:30, as SPC files it | Mountain | EF3 | 36.99 mi | 1 |
| 1992-11-22 11:10, as SPC files it | Dahlonega to Helen | F3 | 10 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Lumpkin County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-04 | Chestatee, Lumpkin County | EF0 4.7 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $163K |
| 2017-04-03 | Halfway, Lumpkin County | EF1 4.61 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $90K |
| 2013-04-11 | Halfway, Lumpkin County | EF1 2.43 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2013-04-11 | Albert, Lumpkin County | EF1 0.76 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $380K |
| 2011-04-27 | Walnut, Lumpkin County | EF2 5.6 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $984K |
| 2005-08-29 | Dahlonega, Lumpkin County | F0 0.9 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 1996-11-07 | Dahlonega, Lumpkin County | F1 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 12 | $753K |
| 1992-11-22 | Lumpkin County | F3 10 mi x 867 yd | 1 | 7 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-09-07 | Lumpkin County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1977-04-04 | Lumpkin County | F1 5.2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Lumpkin County | F4 3.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Lumpkin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 17, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | DroughtLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Winter StormLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindDahlonega, Lumpkin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindEtowah, Lumpkin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindDahlonega, Lumpkin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindChestatee, Lumpkin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindTube, Lumpkin County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindAuraria, Lumpkin County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2021-05-04 | TornadoChestatee, Lumpkin County | EF0 4.7 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $163K |
| 2017-09-11 | Tropical StormLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin | 0 | 0 | $451K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-11-22 | TornadoLumpkin County | F3 10 mi x 867 yd | 1 | 7 | $2.5M step |
| 2015-02-16 | Ice StormLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin The Lumpkin County Emergency Manager reported between a quarter and a half inch of ice accumulation on trees, power lines and other elevated surfaces across the county. Numerous trees and power lines were downed with over 10000 residents without power by the evening of the 16th. Many roads were blocked by downed trees ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-01-07 | Winter WeatherLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin The Lumpkin County 911 Center reported from 1.0 to 2.0 inches of snow across the county. Roads were snow covered and hazardous throughout the county. Several motorists were stranded in their vehicles and several accidents were reported. A 33-year old male slid of Siloam Church Road into the side of a truck and then ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-02-13 | LightningChestatee, Lumpkin County Lightning struck 48 students and three Ranger instructors on a field training exercise at Camp Frank D. Merrill. As the soldiers were moving to low ground because of the weather, a lightning bolt saturated the area. Some were knocked unconscious, others were semi-concscious, while others weren't visibly affected. All ... | 0 | 51 | – | |
| 1996-11-07 | TornadoDahlonega, Lumpkin County A severe thunderstorm developed in extreme south Lumpkin county about two miles southwest of highway 60. The storm tracked northeast across a small "handle" of Hall county, then back into Lumpkin county and on into White county. The storm apparently had an embedded vortex (F0-F1) that occasionally touched down along ... | F1 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 12 | $753K |
| 2017-07-05 | Thunderstorm WindJay, Lumpkin County The Lumpkin County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines blown down across the county from west of Dahlonega near Highway 52 and Nimblewill Church Road and Highway 9 and Buck Run East to east of Dahlonega along Grindle Bridge Road where a man was injured when a large tree branch fell on him. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $7K |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoWalnut, Lumpkin County An aerial survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City confirmed that the supercell thunderstorm which had already spawned several tornadoes across Alabama and two in northwest and north central Georgia, including Polk, Floyd, Bartow, and Pickens counties, spawned yet a third ... | EF2 5.6 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $984K |
| 1977-09-07 | TornadoLumpkin County | F1 1 mi x 100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoWalnut, Lumpkin County | EF2 5.6 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $984K |
| 1996-11-07 | TornadoDahlonega, Lumpkin County | F1 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 12 | $753K |
| 2010-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindPorter Spgs, Lumpkin County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2017-09-11 | Tropical StormLumpkin County · forecast zone Lumpkin | 0 | 0 | $451K | |
| 2013-04-11 | TornadoAlbert, Lumpkin County | EF1 0.76 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $380K |
| 2003-08-15 | LightningPorter Spgs, Lumpkin County | 0 | 0 | $281K | |
| 2021-05-04 | TornadoChestatee, Lumpkin County | EF0 4.7 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $163K |
| 2017-04-03 | TornadoHalfway, Lumpkin County | EF1 4.61 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $90K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 22, 1992 (tornado, Lumpkin County, 1 killed); April 3, 1974 (tornado, Lumpkin 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 Lumpkin 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 | 7 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 27 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 29 | 28 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 16 | 17 | 6 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 13 | 2 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1984 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 52 · Feb 38 · Mar 29 · Apr 33 · May 30 · Jun 38 · Jul 31 · Aug 32 · Sep 26 · Oct 18 · Nov 15 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lumpkin County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Lumpkin County: 15 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and severe storm (4).
| 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 |
| 2021-05-05 | DR-4600 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2021-01-12 | DR-4579 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4501 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3464 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2015-04-20 | DR-4215 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-04-29 | DR-1973 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1554 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-10-10 | DR-1071 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1994-03-31 | DR-1020 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, and Severe Storms |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1992-12-01 | DR-969 | Tornado | High Winds, Heavy Rains & Tornadoes |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-06-11 | DR-507 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-04-05 | DR-425 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Lumpkin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Lumpkin County from 1996 to 2021, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lumpkin County ranks 2128th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-11 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $261,000 on 18 claims filed in Lumpkin County; the most in one year was 6 in 2021. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 1996: 4 · 1998: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2026: 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 Lumpkin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lumpkin County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.2 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 | Very High | $2.5M | 61 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $150K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $12K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.3M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $135K | 38 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $186K | 4.9 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 Lumpkin 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 Lumpkin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lumpkin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis