Montgomery County, Georgia

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13209 · population 8,579 · 241 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 187 records for Montgomery County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 164 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (67 records). The most damaging was the June 1, 2000 drought ($3.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1966, 19 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
187on 164 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
01 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$8.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
6strongest EF3
FEMA declarations
21latest 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 Montgomery County most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 67 since 1963. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in May and June. 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.

Montgomery County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind 67 60 1963-2024 0 1 $1.0M 113 of 159
Drought 26 26 1997-2026 0 0 $3.3M 72 of 159
Hail 20 19 1985-2022 0 0 $253K 105 of 159
Hurricanes and tropical storms 19 18 2002-2024 0 0 $110K 23 of 159
Extreme cold 14 14 1996-2007 0 0 – 29 of 159
Heat 11 11 1999-2012 0 0 – 29 of 159
Floods 10 8 1997-2020 0 0 $151K 77 of 159
Tornadoes 6 6 1963-2024 0 0 $3.0M 120 of 159
High wind and dust storms 4 4 2001-2008 0 0 $240K 72 of 159
Winter storms 4 4 2002-2018 0 0 $38K 113 of 159
Heavy rain 3 3 2001-2004 0 0 – 51 of 159
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 2 2 2002-2002 0 0 – 66 of 159
Lightning 1 1 2004-2004 0 0 $781 129 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 Montgomery County had?

NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Montgomery County from 1963 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Montgomery County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Montgomery County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
2008-05-11 05:11, as SPC files itTarrytownEF37.66 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.

Every tornado record filed for Montgomery County (6)
Every tornado recorded in Montgomery County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2024-05-09 Kibbee, Montgomery County EF1 6.46 mi x 250 yd 0 0 –
2008-05-11 Kibbee, Montgomery County EF3 2.34 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $34K
1984-05-03 Montgomery County F1 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $250K step
1972-01-05 Montgomery County F2 3.3 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $250K step
1966-02-28 Montgomery County F2 0.9 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $25K step
1963-01-20 Montgomery County F2 2 mi x 33 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 Montgomery County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 11, 2008 tornado ($34,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the EF3 tornado, that initially touched down approximately three miles south-southeast of Soperton, continued on an east-southeastward track approximately seven miles into extreme northeast Montgomery county. The tornado likely weakened to less than EF3 intensity as it entered Montgomery county. A number of outbuildings and sheds were destroyed along the path of the tornado in northeast Montgomery county. A number of trees and power lines were also downed. However, no damage to any homes was observed or reported in Montgomery county.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 101752)
The 12 most recent records kept for Montgomery County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-03-01 DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery 0 0 –
2026-02-01 DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery 0 0 –
2026-01-13 DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery 0 0 –
2024-05-09 TornadoKibbee, Montgomery County EF1 6.46 mi x 250 yd 0 0 –
2008-05-11 TornadoKibbee, Montgomery County EF3 2.34 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $34K
2006-12-25 Thunderstorm WindTarrytown, Montgomery County 57 kt wind 0 1 $146K
2000-06-22 Thunderstorm WindMc Gregor, Montgomery County 0 0 $366K
2000-06-01 DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery 0 0 $3.3M
1984-05-03 TornadoMontgomery County F1 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $250K step
1972-01-05 TornadoMontgomery County F2 3.3 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $250K step
1966-02-28 TornadoMontgomery County F2 0.9 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $25K step
1963-01-20 TornadoMontgomery County F2 2 mi x 33 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; 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Montgomery County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2006-12-25 Thunderstorm WindTarrytown, Montgomery County The Montgomery County Emergency Management Director reported that extensive wind damage occurred across the northern part of the county. The most significant damage was observed in the Kibbee area in the far northern part of the county. Here, a trailer was removed from its foundation, the foundation blocks of which ... 57 kt wind 0 1 $146K
The costliest records in Montgomery County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2000-06-01 DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery 0 0 $3.3M
2000-06-22 Thunderstorm WindMc Gregor, Montgomery County 0 0 $366K
2006-12-25 Thunderstorm WindTarrytown, Montgomery County 57 kt wind 0 1 $146K
2008-05-11 TornadoKibbee, Montgomery County EF3 2.34 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $34K

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 5, 1972 (tornado, Montgomery County); May 3, 1984 (tornado, Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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).

Montgomery County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind0101114112010
Drought––––31823
Hail00014591
Hurricanes and tropical storms––––01153
Extreme cold––––21200
Heat––––2720

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 15 · Feb 10 · Mar 15 · Apr 13 · May 19 · Jun 34 · Jul 13 · Aug 24 · Sep 17 · Oct 13 · Nov 7 · Dec 7 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Montgomery County

FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Montgomery County: 11 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (3).

Declarations including Montgomery County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2026-01-24EM-3642Winter StormSevere Winter Storm
2024-09-30DR-4830HurricaneHurricane Helene
2024-09-26EM-3616Tropical StormHurricane Helene
2024-08-05EM-3607Tropical StormHurricane Debby
2023-09-07DR-4738HurricaneHurricane Idalia
2020-03-29DR-4501BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3464BiologicalCovid-19
2018-10-14DR-4400HurricaneHurricane Michael
2018-10-10EM-3406HurricaneHurricane Michael
2017-09-15DR-4338HurricaneHurricane Irma
2017-09-08EM-3387HurricaneHurricane Irma
2016-02-26DR-4259Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2009-04-23DR-1833Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds
2005-09-05EM-3218HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2004-09-24DR-1560HurricaneTropical Storm Frances
1998-03-11DR-1209Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
1994-07-07DR-1033TornadoTornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)
1993-03-15EM-3097SnowstormSevere Snowfall, Winter Storm
1984-05-11EM-3089TornadoSevere Storms & Tornadoes
1977-07-20EM-3044DroughtDrought
1966-03-14DR-214FloodFlooding

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 Montgomery County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 10 flood or flash flood records for Montgomery County from 1997 to 2020, on 8 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Montgomery County ranks 1874th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $461,000 on 32 claims filed in Montgomery County; the most in one year was 7 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1980: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2009: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2020: 7 · 2024: 3; 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 Montgomery County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Montgomery County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.0 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Montgomery County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
HurricaneRelatively Low$455Konce in about 5 years (modeled)
DroughtRelatively Low$253K23 modeled event-days a year
Heat WaveRelatively Low$192K7.9 modeled event-days a year
TornadoRelatively Low$422Konce in about 8 years (modeled)
LightningRelatively Low$75K68 a year (modeled)
EarthquakeVery Low$106Konce in about 571 years (modeled)
WildfireVery Low$16Konce in about 1,422 years (modeled)
Ice StormVery Low$9Konce in about 5 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Montgomery County

  1. Toombs County 243
  2. Jeff Davis County 209
  3. Montgomery County 187
  4. Treutlen County 178
  5. Wheeler County 177

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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