Oglethorpe County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13221 · population 14,820 · 439 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 273 records for Oglethorpe County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 233 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (107 records). The most damaging was the August 16, 1994 tornado ($10.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1977, 13 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
- 273on 233 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.7Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Oglethorpe County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 107 since 1963. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in June and July. 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 | 107 | 95 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 2 | $1.7M | 130 of 159 |
| Drought | 37 | 37 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | 96 of 159 |
| Hail | 33 | 24 | 1967-2019 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 135 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 27 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 54 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 16 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $94K | 95 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 85 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 84 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2001-2009 | 0 | 0 | $524K | 76 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1966-2021 | 0 | 1 | $1.7B | 148 of 159 |
| Floods | 5 | 4 | 2004-2017 | 0 | 0 | $195K | 153 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2002-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2001-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 92 of 159 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 145 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 Oglethorpe County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Oglethorpe County from 1966 to 2021, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 Oglethorpe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: 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 Oglethorpe County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-03 | Dunlap, Oglethorpe County | EF0 1.87 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 1994-08-16 | Oglethorpe County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $10.0M |
| 1986-04-08 | Oglethorpe County | F1 0.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-12-03 | Oglethorpe County | F0 4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1980-04-13 | Oglethorpe County | F1 3.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-03-31 | Oglethorpe County | F2 3.3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $250M step |
| 1966-02-13 | Oglethorpe County | F2 6.9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Oglethorpe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 3, 2021 tornado ($109,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A National Weather Service survey determined that an EF0 tornado with maximum winds of 80 MPH and a maximum path width of 200 yards touched down along Robert Hardeman Road on the Clarke/Oglethorpe county line just south of Winterville. The tornado travelled east, snapping and uprooting several trees from Robert Hardeman Road across W. Beaverdam Road to just past Arnoldsville Road. Along Tim Lane, a roof was blown off a small barn. The tornado ended just south of Hargrove Lake Road where just a few larger tree limbs were seen snapped. [5/3/21: Tornado #5, County #1/1, EF-0, Oglethorpe, 2021:013].
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 962681)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | DroughtOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-05-03 | TornadoDunlap, Oglethorpe County | EF0 1.87 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2015-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindStephens, Oglethorpe County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2004-09-16 | High WindOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $391K |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 2000-01-22 | Ice StormOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 1998-05-07 | HailLexington, Oglethorpe County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1997-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindWinterville, Oglethorpe County | 0 | 0 | $919K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 | Thunderstorm WindOglethorpe County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1966-02-13 | TornadoOglethorpe County | F2 6.9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-08-16 | TornadoOglethorpe County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $10.0M |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtOglethorpe County · forecast zone Oglethorpe | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 1997-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindWinterville, Oglethorpe County | 0 | 0 | $919K | |
| 2021-05-03 | TornadoDunlap, Oglethorpe County | EF0 1.87 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2015-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindStephens, Oglethorpe County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
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, Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe 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 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 27 | 28 | 13 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 10 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 11 | 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 2 | 3 |
| 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?
43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 29 · Mar 20 · Apr 24 · May 24 · Jun 31 · Jul 32 · Aug 30 · Sep 20 · Oct 11 · Nov 14 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Oglethorpe County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Oglethorpe County: 7 major disasters, 8 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 |
| 2024-09-30 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2015-04-20 | DR-4215 | 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 |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 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 Oglethorpe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Oglethorpe County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $374K | once in about 18 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $338K | 57 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $111K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $176K | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $403K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $464K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $190K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $200K | once in about 421 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Oglethorpe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis