Stewart County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13259 · population 5,305 · 459 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 190 records for Stewart County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 157 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (68 records). The deadliest single record is the December 5, 1954 tornado: 1 death and 20 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1977, 14 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
- 190on 157 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 120 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Stewart County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 68 since 1971. 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 | 68 | 56 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 0 | $218K | 158 of 159 |
| Drought | 26 | 26 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 127 of 159 |
| Hail | 21 | 19 | 1987-2011 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 148 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 16 | 2002-2020 | 0 | 0 | $60K | 99 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 13 | 1954-2022 | 1 | 20 | $7.0M | 112 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 15 | 15 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 82 of 159 |
| Heat | 10 | 10 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 95 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 8 | 7 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 117 of 159 |
| Floods | 3 | 3 | 1998-2009 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 156 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1998-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 84 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 120 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2004-2005 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 125 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 Stewart County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Stewart County from 1954 to 2022, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death and 20 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Stewart County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-12-05 13:45, as SPC files it | Webster CountyCrossed AL, GA | F2 | 71.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Stewart County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-09 | Florence, Stewart County | EF0 1.14 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-03 | Sanford, Stewart County | EF2 18.73 mi x 860 yd | 0 | 0 | $462K |
| 2017-04-05 | Tilley, Stewart County | EF2 8.42 mi x 1,320 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-04-03 | Randall, Stewart County | EF0 1.35 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2017-04-03 | Julia, Stewart County | EF0 1.56 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2017-01-02 | Barges, Stewart County | EF1 0.59 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2016-04-07 | Sunlight, Stewart County | EF0 0.16 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2014-11-23 | Coffinton, Stewart County | EF1 13.49 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2014-11-23 | Lumpkin, Stewart County | EF1 0.47 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2008-02-17 | Omaha, Stewart County | EF0 9.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2007-03-01 | Richland, Stewart County | EF1 1.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $569K |
| 1998-04-03 | Omaha, Stewart County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1981-03-18 | Stewart County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-09 | Stewart County | F2 4.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1954-12-05 | Stewart County | F2 5.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1954-12-05 | Stewart County | F2 21.6 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 20 | $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 Stewart County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindLouvale, Stewart County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindFlorence, Stewart County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtStewart County · forecast zone Stewart | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtStewart County · forecast zone Stewart | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormStewart County · forecast zone Stewart | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormStewart County · forecast zone Stewart | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtStewart County · forecast zone Stewart | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-28 | DroughtStewart County · forecast zone Stewart | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-03-09 | TornadoFlorence, Stewart County | EF0 1.14 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-03 | TornadoSanford, Stewart County | EF2 18.73 mi x 860 yd | 0 | 0 | $462K |
| 2017-04-05 | TornadoTilley, Stewart County | EF2 8.42 mi x 1,320 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-04-03 | TornadoRandall, Stewart County | EF0 1.35 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-12-05 | TornadoStewart County | F2 21.6 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 20 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoRichland, Stewart County | EF1 1.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $569K |
| 2019-03-03 | TornadoSanford, Stewart County | EF2 18.73 mi x 860 yd | 0 | 0 | $462K |
| 2017-01-02 | TornadoBarges, Stewart County | EF1 0.59 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2017-04-05 | TornadoTilley, Stewart County | EF2 8.42 mi x 1,320 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2008-02-17 | TornadoOmaha, Stewart County | EF0 9.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1998-04-03 | TornadoOmaha, Stewart County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2016-04-07 | TornadoSunlight, Stewart County | EF0 0.16 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindFlorence, Stewart County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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: December 5, 1954 (tornado, Stewart County, 1 killed); December 5, 1954 (tornado, Stewart 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 Stewart 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 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 17 | 13 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 17 | 5 | 4 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 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 Stewart County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 23 · Feb 15 · Mar 24 · Apr 31 · May 13 · Jun 15 · Jul 12 · Aug 11 · Sep 13 · Oct 12 · Nov 10 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Stewart County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Stewart County: 9 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) 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 |
| 2018-10-14 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & Flooding |
| 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 Stewart County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Stewart County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.8 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 | $119K | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $119K | 59 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $154K | 68 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $558K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $514 | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $18K | once in about 1,154 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $80K | 6.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $48K | once in about 858 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Stewart 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 Stewart CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Stewart County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis