Thomas County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13275 · population 45,777 · 545 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 425 records for Thomas County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 285 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (227 records). The deadliest single record is the August 8, 1999 lightning: 1 death. 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 30, 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
- 425on 285 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $153Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 20strongest EF3
- 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 Thomas County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 227 since 1956. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 227 | 159 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.9M | 82 of 159 |
| Floods | 48 | 25 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 1 | $4.1M | 59 of 159 |
| Drought | 43 | 43 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 107 of 159 |
| Hail | 43 | 30 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 133 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 17 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 4 | $27M | 94 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 14 | 14 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $107M | 119 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 4 | 2011-2018 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 86 of 159 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 124 of 159 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1998-2012 | 1 | 0 | $29K | 91 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 131 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 152 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2001-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 118 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 Thomas County had?
NOAA records 20 tornadoes in Thomas County from 1955 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 4 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 20 tornadoes whose track touched Thomas County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 20, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 7 people, 0 of them in Thomas County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-02-13 23:49, as SPC files it | Meigs | F3 | 15 mi | 7 |
| 2009-02-19 00:20, as SPC files it | Boston | EF3 | 1.45 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Thomas County (20)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-07 | Quality, Thomas County | EF1 0.29 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-02-04 | Everett, Thomas County | EF1 0.79 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2023-04-27 | Pasco, Thomas County | EF1 2.27 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-04-27 | Homestead Park, Thomas County | EF1 1.21 mi x 160 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-06 | Barwick, Thomas County | EF1 0.85 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2022-04-06 | Thomasville, Thomas County | EF1 1.65 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $101K |
| 2020-09-16 | Hollis, Thomas County | EF0 2.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-01-22 | Pasco, Thomas County | EF2 15.4 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 3 | $301K |
| 2009-02-19 | Eason, Thomas County | EF3 1.45 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2009-02-19 | Homestead Park, Thomas County | EF2 10.44 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $14M |
| 2001-03-15 | Thomasville Municipal Arp, Thomas County | F0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2000-02-14 | Meigs, Thomas County | F3 2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $857K |
| 1998-09-29 | Coolidge, Thomas County | F1 1.2 mi x 65 yd | 0 | 0 | $815K |
| 1995-11-11 | Thomasville, Thomas County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $97K |
| 1982-04-05 | Thomas County | F1 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-04-03 | Thomas County | F1 6 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-04-27 | Thomas County | F1 3.6 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-11-11 | Thomas County | F2 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1968-03-11 | Thomas County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-05-08 | Thomas County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 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 Thomas County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-12 | Flash FloodHollis, Thomas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindEason, Thomas County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-09 | HailBoston, Thomas County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-09 | HailBoston, Thomas County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-09 | HailEnon, Thomas County | 1.00 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-08-08 | LightningThomasville, Thomas County A Valdosta State University student-athlete was struck and killed by lightning while pitching during a baseball game. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoPasco, Thomas County This tornado was the first of two produced by the same thunderstorm that moved across South Georgia early Sunday morning. The tornado initially touched down just west of US-19 in Thomas County and then moved NE across mainly rural areas of the county. Damage was initially limited in the vicinity of US-19 to snapped ... | EF2 15.4 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 3 | $301K |
| 2014-12-24 | Thunderstorm WindThomasville, Thomas County Multiple trees were blown down across the county. One tree fell on a car and injured the woman inside. Monetary damage was estimated. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $19K |
| 2012-06-06 | Flash FloodHomestead Park, Thomas County Significant flash flooding occurred in Thomasville. Between 5 and 8 roads were closed in Thomasville due to high water with cars submerged in many areas. Water was up to the car bumpers on Walcott and Young Streets with some basements flooding as well. The Days Inn located near the intersection of the Thomasville ... | 0 | 1 | $964K | |
| 1995-11-11 | TornadoThomasville, Thomas County A brief tornado blew numerous trees down across GA 202 just south of U.S. 84 in Thomasville. One mobile home was totalled and one car was struck by a tree causing injury to the passenger. | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $97K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-02-19 | TornadoHomestead Park, Thomas County | EF2 10.44 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $14M |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2008-08-23 | Flash FloodEverett, Thomas County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2004-09-05 | Tropical StormThomas County · forecast zone Thomas | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1995-01-28 | HailThomasville, Thomas County | 4.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1993-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindOchlocknee, Thomas County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1994-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindThomasville, Thomas County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2012-06-06 | Flash FloodHomestead Park, Thomas County | 0 | 1 | $964K |
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 11, 1979 (tornado, Thomas 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 Thomas 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 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 21 | 101 | 59 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 5 | 35 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 31 | 11 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
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 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 28 · Mar 47 · Apr 43 · May 37 · Jun 66 · Jul 60 · Aug 45 · Sep 25 · Oct 13 · Nov 21 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Thomas County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Thomas County: 12 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4821 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3607 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023-09-07 | DR-4738 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 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 |
| 2009-04-23 | DR-1833 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-24 | DR-1560 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-10-19 | DR-1042 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornados, Flooding, High Winds |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1991-03-15 | DR-897 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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.
How many floods has Thomas County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 48 flood or flash flood records for Thomas County from 1998 to 2026, on 25 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Thomas County ranks 1540th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | 2004-09-05 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.6 million on 63 claims filed in Thomas County; the most in one year was 13 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 3 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 3 · 1985: 6 · 1986: 3 · 1991: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2008: 5 · 2009: 5 · 2010: 2 · 2012: 13 · 2013: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 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 Thomas County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Thomas County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.2 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 Moderate | $8.7M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $522K | 74 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $151K | once in about 1,429 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $482K | 5.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $152K | 26 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Thomas 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 Thomas CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Thomas County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis