Marion County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13197 · population 7,466 · 366 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 204 records for Marion County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 188 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (74 records). The most damaging was the November 21, 1997 tornado ($276,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1977, 11 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
- 204on 188 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 012 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $11Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Marion County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 74 since 1974. 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 | 74 | 69 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $473K | 138 of 159 |
| Drought | 30 | 30 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | 101 of 159 |
| Hail | 24 | 23 | 1988-2024 | 0 | 0 | $60K | 124 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 17 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 61 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1953-2014 | 0 | 12 | $5.0M | 102 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 8 | 8 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $80K | 98 of 159 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $97K | 129 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2004-2005 | 0 | 0 | $80K | 107 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 109 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 97 of 159 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $151K | 139 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 Marion County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Marion County from 1953 to 2014, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 12 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Marion County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Marion County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-11-23 | Juniper, Marion County | EF1 0.54 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2009-03-15 | Putnam, Marion County | EF0 1.88 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2008-02-17 | Brantley, Marion County | EF0 18.18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2007-03-01 | Oakland, Marion County | EF1 2.51 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 1997-11-21 | Draneville, Marion County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $276K |
| 1984-05-03 | Marion County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-02-24 | Marion County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1972-01-13 | Marion County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-12-05 | Marion County | F2 7.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 7 | $25K step |
| 1953-04-30 | Marion County | F2 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1953-04-18 | Marion County | F2 0.2 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 Marion County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 23, 2014 tornado ($3,116 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A NWS storm survey team found that the EF-1 tornado that touched down in Chattahoochee County crossed the northwest corner of Marion County. The tornado crossed into Marion County near County Road 65 and traveled northeast for around one half mile before it crossed Upatoi Creek into Talbot County. Maximum wind speeds were around 100 MPH with mainly damage to trees. [11/23/14: Tornado #3, County #2-3, EF1, Chattahoochee-Marion-Talbot, 2014:020].
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 550468)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindOakland, Marion County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtMarion County · forecast zone Marion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtMarion County · forecast zone Marion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormMarion County · forecast zone Marion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtMarion County · forecast zone Marion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-14 | DroughtMarion County · forecast zone Marion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-11-23 | TornadoJuniper, Marion County | EF1 0.54 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2009-03-15 | TornadoPutnam, Marion County | EF0 1.88 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2008-02-17 | TornadoBrantley, Marion County | EF0 18.18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoOakland, Marion County | EF1 2.51 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtMarion County · forecast zone Marion | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | |
| 1997-11-21 | TornadoDraneville, Marion County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $276K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-12-05 | TornadoMarion County | F2 7.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 7 | $25K step |
| 1953-04-30 | TornadoMarion County | F2 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1953-04-18 | TornadoMarion County | F2 0.2 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 2 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-11-21 | TornadoDraneville, Marion County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $276K |
| 2008-02-17 | TornadoBrantley, Marion County | EF0 18.18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoOakland, Marion County | EF1 2.51 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2014-11-23 | TornadoJuniper, Marion County | EF1 0.54 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2009-03-15 | TornadoPutnam, Marion County | EF0 1.88 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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: April 18, 1953 (tornado, Marion County); February 24, 1977 (tornado, Marion 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 Marion 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 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 14 | 13 | 15 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 17 | 6 | 4 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 3 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 2 | 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 Marion County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 19 · Feb 13 · Mar 25 · Apr 29 · May 11 · Jun 30 · Jul 13 · Aug 19 · Sep 15 · Oct 12 · Nov 10 · Dec 8 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Marion County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Marion County: 6 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (5) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3642 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2016-02-26 | DR-4259 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Marion County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Marion County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $355K | 59 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $231K | 67 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $149K | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $29K | once in about 1,294 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $408 | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $107K | 6.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $50K | once in about 825 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $233K | 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 Marion 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 Marion CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Marion County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis