Muscogee County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13215 · population 206,469 · 217 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 485 records for Muscogee County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 392 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (221 records). The deadliest single record is the April 18, 1953 tornado: 2 deaths and 300 injuries. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1990, 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
- 485on 392 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 5330 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $370Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest EF3
- 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 Muscogee County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 221 since 1958. 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 | 221 | 194 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 11 | $3.1M | 2 of 159 |
| Hail | 75 | 58 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 0 | $6.8M | 19 of 159 |
| Heat | 42 | 41 | 1996-2016 | 2 | 0 | – | 1 of 159 |
| Drought | 31 | 31 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $183K | 38 of 159 |
| Floods | 31 | 22 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $558K | 9 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 17 | 1953-2025 | 2 | 318 | $358M | 7 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 17 | 17 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 16 | 2002-2020 | 0 | 1 | $223K | 24 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 10 | 10 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $231K | 64 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 8 | 2004-2019 | 0 | 0 | $447K | 40 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 2001-2014 | 0 | 0 | $57K | 9 of 159 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 0 | $116K | 37 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 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 Muscogee County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Muscogee County from 1953 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 318 injuries recorded in the county. That is 7th of 159 Georgia counties and 114th of 3,080 U.S. 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Muscogee County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 31 people, 2 of them in Muscogee County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-03-03 14:00, as SPC files it | ColumbusCrossed AL, GA | EF4 | 68.04 mi | 23 |
| 1953-04-18 17:00, as SPC files it | Auburn to PhenixCrossed AL, GA | F3 | 39.8 mi | 8 |
| 1961-03-31 13:10, as SPC files it | ColumbusCrossed AL, GA | F3 | 8.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Muscogee County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-06 | Flat Rock, Muscogee County | EF1 2.62 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-14 | Upatoi, Muscogee County | EF0 0.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2019-04-14 | Avondale, Muscogee County | EF0 2.67 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $173K |
| 2019-03-03 | Double Churches, Muscogee County | EF3 8.88 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2017-04-03 | Muscogee County | EF1 3.27 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2009-04-19 | Columbus, Muscogee County | EF1 1.98 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2007-03-01 | Bibb City, Muscogee County | EF2 9.43 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $40M |
| 2006-11-15 | Columbus, Muscogee County | F0 0.1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $732 |
| 1997-03-13 | Columbus, Muscogee County | F1 9.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.4M |
| 1992-11-22 | Muscogee County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1991-05-05 | Muscogee County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1991-03-29 | Muscogee County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-11-20 | Muscogee County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1978-05-01 | Muscogee County | F2 8.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1966-05-16 | Muscogee County | F1 3.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 11 | $2.5M step |
| 1961-03-31 | Muscogee County | F3 5.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-02-22 | Muscogee County | F1 0.1 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-04-18 | Muscogee County | F3 5.1 mi x 400 yd | 2 | 300 | $25M 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 Muscogee County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDouble Churches, Muscogee County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-14 | DroughtMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-06 | TornadoFlat Rock, Muscogee County | EF1 2.62 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindColumbus, Muscogee County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindColumbus Metro, Muscogee County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindDouble Churches, Muscogee County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindDouble Churches, Muscogee County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2019-04-14 | TornadoUpatoi, Muscogee County | EF0 0.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-04-18 | TornadoMuscogee County | F3 5.1 mi x 400 yd | 2 | 300 | $25M step |
| 2016-08-05 | HeatMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee Local newspapers report that a 31 year old man died due to hyperthermia in an automobile in Columbus. Temperatures reached into the middle 90s during the afternoon and the man was found in the front seat of his car with all of the windows rolled up. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-07-26 | HeatMuscogee County · forecast zone Muscogee The broadcast media reported that a 54 year old woman died from hyperthermia. The woman was found inside a car, with all of the windows rolled up, in the parking lot of the Midtown Medical Center in Columbus. Afternoon temperatures were in the mid to upper 90s in Columbus this day. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindColumbus, Muscogee County Broadcast media and newspaper articles reported numerous trees and power lines down on the northeast side of Columbus, near the Lake Bottom area. A 57-year-old woman was killed when a tree limb fell on her in her back yard at the 1200 block of 16th Street. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $6K |
| 1966-05-16 | TornadoMuscogee County | F1 3.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 11 | $2.5M step |
| 1990-02-22 | Thunderstorm WindMuscogee County | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 1978-05-01 | TornadoMuscogee County | F2 8.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 2011-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Muscogee County Meteorologists with WRBL and WTVM Television in Columbus reported that a microburst or downburst had caused considerable damage in a small area on the northeast side of Columbus, or approximately one mile northeast of Kenwood. The worst damage was near the intersection of Macon Road and Crystal Road where the Crystal ... | 56 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $459K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoBibb City, Muscogee County | EF2 9.43 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $40M |
| 2009-04-19 | TornadoColumbus, Muscogee County | EF1 1.98 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2013-03-18 | HailAvondale, Muscogee County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 2012-01-21 | HailGreen Is Hills, Muscogee County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.1M |
| 1997-03-13 | TornadoColumbus, Muscogee County | F1 9.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.4M |
| 2001-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindColumbus, Muscogee County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $500K |
| 2011-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Muscogee County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $459K |
| 2005-06-02 | Thunderstorm WindColumbus, Muscogee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $378K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 18, 1953 (tornado, Muscogee County, 2 killed).
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 Muscogee 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 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 27 | 54 | 33 | 42 | 36 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 10 | 10 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 30 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 4 | 17 | 6 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 7 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
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 Muscogee County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 32 · Mar 56 · Apr 57 · May 38 · Jun 60 · Jul 67 · Aug 57 · Sep 22 · Oct 21 · Nov 19 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Muscogee County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Muscogee County: 7 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (5) and severe storm (4).
| 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 |
| 2018-10-10 | 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 |
| 2007-03-03 | DR-1686 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-10-10 | DR-1071 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & 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 Muscogee County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Muscogee County from 1998 to 2024, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Muscogee County ranks 843rd 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 $2.3 million on 243 claims filed in Muscogee County; the most in one year was 35 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 13 · 1979: 13 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 14 · 1982: 5 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 3 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1990: 35 · 1991: 10 · 1992: 2 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 5 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 4 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 7 · 2006: 3 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 14 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 19 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 21 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 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 Muscogee County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Muscogee County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $39.1 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 | Relatively High | $1.4M | 66 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | 6.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $26M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $827K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $975K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.3M | once in about 832 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Muscogee 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 Muscogee CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Muscogee County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis