Madison County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13195 · population 30,080 · 282 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 308 records for Madison County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 256 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (102 records). The most damaging was the September 16, 2004 tornado ($2.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1973, 12 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
- 308on 256 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 011 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $19Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Madison County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 102 since 1971. 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 | 102 | 87 | 1971-2025 | 0 | 6 | $1.4M | 72 of 159 |
| Hail | 53 | 41 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 57 of 159 |
| Drought | 41 | 41 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | 37 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | 28 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 16 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $121K | 40 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 8 | 1954-2021 | 0 | 5 | $7.1M | 113 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 1998-2009 | 0 | 0 | $44K | 53 of 159 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 1999-2014 | 0 | 0 | $360K | 120 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 2000-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2001-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 159 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2000-2009 | 0 | 0 | $86K | 81 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 Madison County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Madison County from 1954 to 2021, the strongest rated F2, with 0 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Madison County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Madison County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-17 | Ila, Madison County | EF1 5.94 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2021-05-03 | Neese, Madison County | EF1 5.53 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-16 | Paoli, Madison County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2004-09-16 | Colbert, Madison County | F1 7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2003-05-06 | Danielsville, Madison County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 1994-06-27 | Danielsville, Madison County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1980-04-13 | Madison County | F1 5.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-11-17 | Madison County | F1 2.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-03-31 | Madison County | F2 9.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $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 Madison County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 8, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | DroughtMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-08 | Thunderstorm WindJames Spring, Madison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-11-08 | HailBluestone, Madison County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindPlanter, Madison County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindDiamond Rock, Madison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-04-10 | Thunderstorm WindDiamond Rock, Madison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-04-10 | Thunderstorm WindDiamond Rock, Madison County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2021-08-17 | TornadoIla, Madison County | EF1 5.94 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindDanielsville, Madison County The public reported that a large tree fell on their vehicle, injuring the five passengers inside. All injuries were minor. Some power lines were also blown down in the area. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 5 | $40K |
| 1954-03-31 | TornadoMadison County | F2 9.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1990-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindMadison County | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-16 | TornadoColbert, Madison County | F1 7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2008-03-15 | HailIla, Madison County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2009-03-01 | Heavy SnowMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | $825K | |
| 2003-05-06 | TornadoDanielsville, Madison County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 2000-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $514K | |
| 2009-04-10 | HailHull, Madison County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $275K |
| 2004-09-16 | TornadoPaoli, Madison County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2003-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindDanielsville, Madison County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 5 | $40K |
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: March 31, 1954 (tornado, Madison 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 Madison 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 | 5 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 13 | 6 | 3 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 13 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 13 | 17 | 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 2 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
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 Madison County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 26 · Mar 27 · Apr 37 · May 34 · Jun 34 · Jul 33 · Aug 23 · Sep 24 · Oct 15 · Nov 15 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Madison County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Madison County: 7 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (5) and severe ice storm (3).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2014-03-06 | DR-4165 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1554 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-04-04 | DR-370 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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 Madison County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Madison County from 1999 to 2014, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Madison County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,448 on 2 claims filed in Madison County; the most in one year was 1 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2014: 1 · 2019: 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 Madison County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Madison County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $190K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $455K | once in about 19 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $414K | once in about 461 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $282K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $166K | 47 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $826K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $191K | 55 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 Madison 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 Madison CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Madison County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis