Oconee County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13219 · population 41,747 · 184 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 305 records for Oconee County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 262 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (118 records). The deadliest single record is the June 27, 1994 tornado: 1 death, 3 injuries and $995,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1973, 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
- 305on 262 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.7Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest 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 Oconee County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 118 since 1969. 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 | 118 | 103 | 1969-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 19 of 159 |
| Drought | 40 | 39 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 11 of 159 |
| Hail | 37 | 29 | 1984-2021 | 0 | 0 | $688K | 48 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 21 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 16 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $121K | 14 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 12 | 1968-2009 | 1 | 3 | $1.7B | 15 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 1998-2014 | 0 | 0 | $659K | 19 of 159 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 2002-2010 | 0 | 0 | $397K | 23 of 159 |
| Floods | 5 | 5 | 2001-2023 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 103 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 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 Oconee County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Oconee County from 1968 to 2009, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 3 injuries recorded in the county. That is 15th of 159 Georgia counties and 241st 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Oconee County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Oconee County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-05-28 15:00, as SPC files it | Winterville | F3 | 18.7 mi | 1 |
| 1994-06-27 05:35, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F1 | 2.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Oconee County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-02-18 | Turpin, Oconee County | EF1 5.44 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $275K |
| 2005-08-29 | Bogart, Oconee County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 1994-06-28 | Franklin, Oconee County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1994-06-27 | Farmington, Oconee County | F1 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 1 | 3 | $995K |
| 1985-08-17 | Oconee County | F1 6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-04-15 | Oconee County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1980-05-17 | Oconee County | F1 0.1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-05-28 | Oconee County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-03-13 | Oconee County | F1 19.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-03-31 | Oconee County | F2 7.2 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $250M step |
| 1968-11-17 | Oconee County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-11 | Oconee County | F1 0.4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Oconee County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2021 thunderstorm wind ($26,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Oconee County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees blown down in the Rays Church Road area between Highway 53 and Maxey Road. A GDOT sensor on Highway 78 recorded a wind gust of 61 MPH.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 963514)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindAllen, Oconee County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2020-03-18 | Thunderstorm WindFarmington, Oconee County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2009-02-18 | TornadoTurpin, Oconee County | EF1 5.44 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $275K |
| 2006-05-26 | HailEastville, Oconee County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $688K |
| 2005-08-29 | TornadoBogart, Oconee County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2004-09-16 | High WindOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $547K |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtOconee County · forecast zone Oconee | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-06-27 | TornadoFarmington, Oconee County A tornado sporadically touched down and destroyed five homes, seven mobil homes, four chicken houses and three barns along U.S. 441 near the Oconee/Morgan county line. One fatality occurred in a mobil home on U.S 441 one mile north of the Oconee/Morgan county line. Three minor injuries also resulted from the homes ... | F1 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 1 | 3 | $995K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-05-26 | HailEastville, Oconee County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $688K |
| 2020-03-18 | Thunderstorm WindFarmington, Oconee County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2021-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindAllen, Oconee County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2005-08-29 | TornadoBogart, Oconee County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 1994-06-28 | TornadoFranklin, Oconee County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
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 $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 31, 1973 (tornado, Oconee 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 Oconee 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 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 16 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 4 | 18 | 13 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 2 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 13 | 12 | 3 |
| 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 Oconee County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 23 · Feb 28 · Mar 26 · Apr 32 · May 26 · Jun 45 · Jul 29 · Aug 33 · Sep 20 · Oct 13 · Nov 13 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Oconee County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Oconee County: 4 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (4) 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 |
| 2018-10-10 | EM-3406 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 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 Oconee County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 5 flood or flash flood records for Oconee County from 2001 to 2023, on 5 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Oconee County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $35,000 on 4 claims filed in Oconee County; the most in one year was 2 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2003: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2024: 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 Oconee County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Oconee County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $240K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $306K | once in about 21 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $343K | 49 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $367K | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $382K | 4.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $229K | 56 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.0M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Oconee 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 Oconee CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Oconee County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis