Tallapoosa County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01123 · population 41,279 · 717 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 546 records for Tallapoosa County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 363 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (235 records). The deadliest single record is the April 27, 2011 tornado: 1 death, 10 injuries and $151 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1977, 18 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
- 546on 363 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 257 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $166Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 43strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Tallapoosa County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 235 since 1961. The rank column places the county among Alabama'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 | 235 | 166 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 6 | $2.0M | 34 of 67 |
| Hail | 115 | 67 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $265K | 34 of 67 |
| Drought | 70 | 67 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 43 | 36 | 1952-2025 | 2 | 19 | $159M | 33 of 67 |
| Floods | 20 | 18 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $511K | 46 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 16 | 16 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $209K | 30 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 11 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | $845K | 23 of 67 |
| Lightning | 11 | 11 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 6 | $787K | 21 of 67 |
| Heat | 8 | 8 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 24 | – | 37 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 37 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 2 | $395K | 29 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2009-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 67 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | $138K | 1 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 67 |
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 Tallapoosa County had?
NOAA records 43 tornadoes in Tallapoosa County from 1952 to 2025, the strongest rated EF4, with 2 deaths and 19 injuries recorded in the county. That is 33rd of 67 Alabama 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 43 tornadoes whose track touched Tallapoosa County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 43, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 15 people, 2 of them in Tallapoosa County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 19:12, as SPC files it | Dadeville | EF4 | 44.18 mi | 7 |
| 2023-01-12 12:40, as SPC files it | Jacksons' Gap | EF3 | 82.31 mi | 7 |
| 2012-03-02 22:40, as SPC files it | Alexander | EF2 | 34.04 mi | 1 |
| 2025-03-15 21:48, as SPC files it | Alexander | EF3 | 20.45 mi | 0 |
| 1996-03-18 20:23, as SPC files it | Eclectic to Jacksons' Gap | F3 | 24 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Tallapoosa County (43)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-15 | Martin Lake North, Tallapoosa County | EF3 20.45 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Barnesville, Tallapoosa County | EF1 1.79 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | Barnesville, Tallapoosa County | EF0 2.93 mi x 950 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-12 | Bevelle, Tallapoosa County | EF0 0.59 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-12 | Our Town, Tallapoosa County | EF2 25.8 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-04 | Bevelle, Tallapoosa County | EF1 3.77 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | Church Hill, Tallapoosa County | EF0 1.75 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-25 | Goldville, Tallapoosa County | EF1 2.85 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-02-13 | Hackneyville, Tallapoosa County | EF1 2.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-14 | Bevelle, Tallapoosa County | EF0 1.89 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | Our Town, Tallapoosa County | EF2 22.63 mi x 1,000 yd | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2011-12-22 | Alexander City, Tallapoosa County | EF0 1.47 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2011-04-27 | Barnesville, Tallapoosa County | EF4 19.03 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 10 | $151M |
| 2011-04-15 | Our Town, Tallapoosa County | EF1 6.28 mi x 493 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2011-04-15 | Martin Lake North, Tallapoosa County | EF1 6.64 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2009-04-10 | Reeltown, Tallapoosa County | EF0 1.91 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2009-04-10 | Church Hill, Tallapoosa County | EF1 9.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2009-02-28 | East Tallasee, Tallapoosa County | EF0 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-02-17 | Hackneyville, Tallapoosa County | EF0 4.53 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-02-17 | Hackneyville, Tallapoosa County | EF0 5.03 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2007-04-11 | Dadeville, Tallapoosa County | EF1 0.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2007-01-07 | Barnesville, Tallapoosa County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $142K |
| 2006-11-15 | Reeltown, Tallapoosa County | F0 0.09 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2005-08-29 | Reeltown, Tallapoosa County | F1 3.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $106K |
| 2005-07-06 | Camp Hill, Tallapoosa County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-30 | Newsite, Tallapoosa County | F1 14.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2004-11-24 | Hackneyville, Tallapoosa County | F1 0.3 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2004-11-24 | Daviston, Tallapoosa County | F0 0.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1996-12-01 | Alexander City, Tallapoosa County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $154K |
| 1996-03-18 | Eclectic, Tallapoosa County | F3 14 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-03-18 | Jacksons Gap, Tallapoosa County | F1 6 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $357K |
| 1996-03-18 | Equality, Tallapoosa County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-11-22 | Tallapoosa County | F1 15 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 1988-09-16 | Tallapoosa County | F0 0.3 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-09-16 | Tallapoosa County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-04-19 | Tallapoosa County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-11-25 | Tallapoosa County | F2 25 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1975-04-02 | Tallapoosa County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-28 | Tallapoosa County | F1 13 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-03-12 | Tallapoosa County | F1 9.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-08 | Tallapoosa County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-11-18 | Tallapoosa County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1952-01-22 | Tallapoosa County | F1 | 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 Tallapoosa County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 29, 2025 lightning ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-20 | Flash FloodJacksons Gap, Tallapoosa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindDadeville, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindAlexander City, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWalnut Hill, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindButtston, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHackneyville, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindAlexander City, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindTohopeka, Tallapoosa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindAlexander City, Tallapoosa County | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoBarnesville, Tallapoosa County A tornado touched down in central Elmore County, north of Wetumpka, and moved northeast through central Tallapoosa and western Chambers Counties, before it lifted west northwest of Lafayette. The tornado crossed into Tallapoosa County near Stoney Ridge Rd, south of CR 34, and intensified to EF4 strength with winds of ... | EF4 19.03 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 10 | $151M |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoOur Town, Tallapoosa County A tornado touched down just west of Highway 63 in western Tallapoosa County, where it uprooted and snapped scores of trees. It continued northeastward and passed just north of Wind Creek State Park, where it produced significant and widespread tree damage between Highway 128 and the shores of Lake Martin. The tornado ... | EF2 22.63 mi x 1,000 yd | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2007-08-08 | HeatTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa A large ridge of high pressure, combined with very dry ground from the recent drought, combined to produce the hottest month on record across Central Alabama in the month of August. The core of the heat wave started around August 4th, when the temepartures first topped the 100 degree mark in several cities. The heat ... | 0 | 24 | – | |
| 1992-11-22 | TornadoTallapoosa County | F1 15 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 2008-07-04 | LightningOur Town, Tallapoosa County Two separate lightning strikes hit 3 people in Wind Creek State Park. All 3 were injured, and one had to be taken to the hospital. Another lightning strike destroyed a boat house in the same area. | 0 | 3 | $1K | |
| 2020-10-29 | Tropical StormTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed across the county. At least 20 homes sustained roof damage. Two injuries near Alexander City when a tree fell on a mobile home. An AWOS (KALX) reported a wind gust of 62 mph. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2020-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindAlexander City, Tallapoosa County Several trees fell onto a home with two injuries. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1979-11-25 | TornadoTallapoosa County | F2 25 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-16 | High WindTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $742K |
| 2007-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindNewsite, Tallapoosa County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $448K |
| 1996-03-18 | TornadoJacksons Gap, Tallapoosa County | F1 6 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $357K |
| 2018-09-10 | LightningTallapoosa City, Tallapoosa County | 0 | 0 | $294K | |
| 2005-07-10 | Tropical StormTallapoosa County · forecast zone Tallapoosa | 0 | 0 | $264K | |
| 1996-12-01 | TornadoAlexander City, Tallapoosa County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $154K |
| 2007-01-07 | TornadoBarnesville, Tallapoosa County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $142K |
| 2005-08-29 | TornadoReeltown, Tallapoosa County | F1 3.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $106K |
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: November 22, 1992 (tornado, Tallapoosa 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 Tallapoosa 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 | 8 | 14 | 34 | 58 | 65 | 55 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 | 47 | 14 | 19 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 45 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 4 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 7 | 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 Tallapoosa County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 44 · Feb 26 · Mar 81 · Apr 81 · May 46 · Jun 89 · Jul 48 · Aug 53 · Sep 18 · Oct 10 · Nov 29 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Tallapoosa County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Tallapoosa County: 11 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3618 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023-05-05 | DR-4710 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2023-01-15 | DR-4684 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-07-10 | DR-4554 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-09-11 | EM-3389 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2011-04-28 | DR-1971 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-27 | EM-3319 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3237 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1593 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2003-05-12 | DR-1466 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1995-10-04 | DR-1070 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-04-18 | DR-578 | Flood | Storms, Wind, Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3045 | 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.
How many floods has Tallapoosa County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Tallapoosa County from 1998 to 2026, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Tallapoosa County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Dennis | 2005-07-10 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $58,000 on 6 claims filed in Tallapoosa County; the most in one year was 1 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 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 Tallapoosa County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Tallapoosa County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 6.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $13M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $325K | 66 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $190K | once in about 388 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $632K | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $6K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $539K | once in about 576 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Tallapoosa 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 AlabamaEvery Alabama tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in AlabamaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Alabama recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Tallapoosa CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Tallapoosa County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis