Randolph County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13243 · population 6,425 · 428 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 196 records for Randolph County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 160 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (100 records). The most damaging was the May 30, 1998 lightning ($5.6 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1994, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 2024.
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
- 196on 160 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 012 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $45Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 2024
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 Randolph County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 100 since 1965. 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 | 100 | 75 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 4 | $502K | 142 of 159 |
| Drought | 44 | 44 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 78 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 15 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 8 | $28M | 77 of 159 |
| Hail | 10 | 8 | 1987-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 157 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 135 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 6 | 6 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | $95K | 124 of 159 |
| Floods | 4 | 4 | 2004-2023 | 0 | 0 | $39K | 152 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 124 of 159 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 137 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 138 of 159 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | 143 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 Randolph County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Randolph County from 1956 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries recorded in the county. That is 77th of 159 Georgia 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Randolph County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Randolph County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963-01-20 16:00, as SPC files it | Fort Gaines to Dawson | F1 | 70.2 mi | 1 |
| 1971-04-23 14:55, as SPC files it | Shellman | F3 | 13.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Randolph County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-14 | Pachitla, Randolph County | EF1 3.26 mi x 425 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2023-06-14 | Pachitla, Randolph County | EF1 1.36 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2021-06-19 | Coleman, Randolph County | EF1 15.33 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-03-31 | Springvale, Randolph County | EF1 8.86 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-23 | Coleman, Randolph County | EF0 10.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2017-04-05 | Benevolence, Randolph County | EF1 2.18 mi x 1,320 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-01-22 | Carnegie, Randolph County | EF2 6.31 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2016-04-07 | Coleman, Randolph County | EF0 0.9 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-03-26 | Benevolence, Randolph County | EF1 0.42 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $85K |
| 2004-05-02 | Carnegie, Randolph County | F1 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $156K |
| 1998-09-29 | Cuthbert, Randolph County | F1 0.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 1 | $905K |
| 1980-03-17 | Randolph County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-04-23 | Randolph County | F3 3.3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1963-01-20 | Randolph County | F1 62.8 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1957-04-08 | Randolph County | F2 5.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1956-02-03 | Randolph County | F0 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Randolph County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindBenevolence, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindShellman, Randolph County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCuthbert, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCuthbert, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Heavy SnowRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-02 | TornadoCarnegie, Randolph County The tornado continued on a northeast track from Clay County, downing trees and power lines along its path through southern Randolph County. Before lifting, it destroyed a mobile home on County Road 6, off Fountain Bridge Road. Its six occupants sustained minor injuries. Reported by the Cuthbert Fire/EMS and Albany ... | F1 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $156K |
| 2020-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindCuthbert, Randolph County There were multiple homes with trees blown onto them along with numerous trees and power lines down across the city. Three injuries resulted due to trees falling. | 65 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $114K |
| 2011-09-05 | Thunderstorm WindCuthbert, Randolph County Trees and power lines were blown down county wide. A woman was injured when she was struck by a falling tree limb in hunt camp. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $7K |
| 1998-09-29 | TornadoCuthbert, Randolph County Tornado touched down two miles east of Cuthbert off U.S. 82 bypass. A manufacturing plant was destroyed where one employee was injured by falling debris. Several large pine trees were uprooted. | F1 0.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 1 | $905K |
| 1957-04-08 | TornadoRandolph County | F2 5.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-30 | LightningShellman, Randolph County | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | |
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoCarnegie, Randolph County | EF2 6.31 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2004-05-02 | TornadoCarnegie, Randolph County | F1 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $156K |
| 2020-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindCuthbert, Randolph County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $114K |
| 2011-03-26 | TornadoBenevolence, Randolph County | EF1 0.42 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $85K |
| 2023-06-14 | TornadoPachitla, Randolph County | EF1 3.26 mi x 425 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2011-09-05 | Thunderstorm WindCuthbert, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $7K |
| 2017-05-23 | TornadoColeman, Randolph County | EF0 10.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: January 20, 1963 (tornado, Randolph 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 Randolph 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 | 1 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 35 | 30 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 34 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
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 Randolph County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 14 · Mar 18 · Apr 21 · May 25 · Jun 23 · Jul 22 · Aug 13 · Sep 9 · Oct 8 · Nov 12 · Dec 6 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Randolph County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Randolph County: 7 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2017-01-26 | DR-4297 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
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 Randolph County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 4 flood or flash flood records for Randolph County from 2004 to 2023, on 4 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Randolph County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,035 on 1 claim filed in Randolph County; the most in one year was 1 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2020: 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 Randolph County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Randolph County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.3 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 | $900K | 49 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $761K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $829K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $442K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $252K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $70K | 70 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $14K | once in about 1,800 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $65K | once in about 799 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Randolph 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 Randolph CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Randolph County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis