Toombs County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13279 · population 26,961 · 364 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 243 records for Toombs County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 201 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (96 records). The deadliest single record is the July 3, 2002 lightning: 1 death. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1966, 21 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
- 243on 201 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 18 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Toombs County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 96 since 1962. 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 | 96 | 87 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 120 of 159 |
| Hail | 32 | 27 | 1971-2020 | 0 | 0 | $475K | 107 of 159 |
| Drought | 25 | 25 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 122 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 23 | 18 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $244K | 58 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 159 |
| Floods | 11 | 10 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | $68K | 101 of 159 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 8 | $8.5M | 116 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2001-2008 | 0 | 0 | $398K | 84 of 159 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 2000-2020 | 1 | 0 | $95K | 70 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 5 | 5 | 2002-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 126 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2001-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 96 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 Toombs County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Toombs County from 1956 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 8 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Toombs County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-11 05:35, as SPC files it | Cobbtown | EF3 | 7.32 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Toombs County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-09 | Vidalia, Toombs County | EF1 8.2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-02 | Vidalia, Toombs County | EF0 0.42 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-24 | Charles, Toombs County | EF1 4.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2008-05-11 | Elton, Toombs County | EF1 2.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-05-11 | Normantown, Toombs County | EF2 1.15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $685K |
| 2000-03-27 | Stanleys Store, Toombs County | F0 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 1984-05-03 | Toombs County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-01-12 | Toombs County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1971-01-15 | Toombs County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-02 | Toombs County | F2 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-05-24 | Toombs County | F1 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 Toombs County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 27, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($8,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtToombs County · forecast zone Toombs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtToombs County · forecast zone Toombs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtToombs County · forecast zone Toombs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindCedar Crossing, Toombs County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindNew Branch, Toombs County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2024-05-09 | TornadoVidalia, Toombs County | EF1 8.2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-02 | TornadoVidalia, Toombs County | EF0 0.42 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-24 | TornadoCharles, Toombs County | EF1 4.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2014-05-25 | HailStanleys Store, Toombs County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $192K |
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoElton, Toombs County | EF1 2.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoNormantown, Toombs County | EF2 1.15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $685K |
| 2007-08-11 | Thunderstorm WindVidalia, Toombs County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $356K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-03 | LightningLyons, Toombs County The Advance Progress Newspaper of Vidalia reported that lightning struck and killed a 45-year old man while on a construction site at the Toombs County Middle School on Center Road. The individual was part of a crew of construction workers at the school. While the others had sought shelter in their vehicles during the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoNormantown, Toombs County A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF2 tornado touched down in extreme northwest Toombs county, approxmiately three miles south-southwest of Normantown. This tornado was spawned by the same thunderstorm that less than 10 minutes prior ... | EF2 1.15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $685K |
| 1984-05-03 | TornadoToombs County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-01-12 | TornadoToombs County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1971-01-15 | TornadoToombs County | F1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtToombs County · forecast zone Toombs | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2008-05-11 | TornadoNormantown, Toombs County | EF2 1.15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $685K |
| 2007-08-11 | Thunderstorm WindVidalia, Toombs County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 1997-03-30 | Thunderstorm WindCedar Crossing, Toombs County | 0 | 0 | $276K | |
| 2014-05-25 | HailStanleys Store, Toombs County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $192K |
| 2000-03-27 | TornadoStanleys Store, Toombs County | F0 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2017-05-24 | TornadoCharles, Toombs County | EF1 4.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindNew Branch, Toombs County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
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: May 3, 1984 (tornado, Toombs 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 Toombs 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 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 5 | 7 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 5 | 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 Toombs County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 19 · Feb 12 · Mar 18 · Apr 28 · May 32 · Jun 34 · Jul 26 · Aug 33 · Sep 18 · Oct 11 · Nov 7 · Dec 5 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Toombs County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Toombs County: 12 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and tropical storm (3).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2016-10-08 | DR-4284 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-06 | EM-3379 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 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 |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1984-05-11 | EM-3089 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
| 1966-03-14 | DR-214 | Flood | Flooding |
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 Toombs County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Toombs County from 2001 to 2020, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Toombs County ranks 1823rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $458,000 on 36 claims filed in Toombs County; the most in one year was 7 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 2 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1998: 3 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 6 · 2010: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2024: 4; 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 Toombs County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Toombs County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.9 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 | $2.7M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $643K | 21 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $512K | 68 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $552K | once in about 569 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $573K | 7.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.6M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $125K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Toombs 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 Toombs CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Toombs County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis