Turner County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13287 · population 8,965 · 285 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 248 records for Turner County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 169 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (113 records). The deadliest single record is the January 2, 2017 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and $301,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1998, 14 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
- 248on 169 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 245 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $131Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Turner County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 113 since 1974. 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 | 113 | 83 | 1974-2026 | 1 | 2 | $1.7M | 85 of 159 |
| Drought | 38 | 38 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 of 159 |
| Hail | 34 | 21 | 1964-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 109 of 159 |
| Floods | 32 | 9 | 2013-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 80 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 9 | 1968-2023 | 1 | 41 | $13M | 93 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 9 | 9 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | $107M | 105 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 5 | 5 | 2005-2025 | 0 | 0 | $40K | 109 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 112 of 159 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 120 of 159 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 2 | – | 135 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 Turner County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Turner County from 1968 to 2023, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 41 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Turner County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 1 of them in Turner County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-22 14:15, as SPC files it | Albany | EF3 | 70.4 mi | 5 |
| 2007-12-15 20:20, as SPC files it | Ashburn | EF1 | 3.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Turner County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-14 | Worth, Turner County | EF0 0.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-07 | Rebecca, Turner County | EF1 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $101K |
| 2017-01-22 | Hobby, Turner County | EF3 18.5 mi x 2,200 yd | 0 | 25 | $6.0M |
| 2007-12-15 | Ashburn, Turner County | EF1 3.5 mi x 125 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2007-03-02 | Sycamore, Turner County | EF1 1.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1991-03-02 | Turner County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1983-05-16 | Turner County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-05-16 | Turner County | F1 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-06-08 | Turner County | F1 12.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-08-24 | Turner County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 12 | $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 Turner County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindRebecca, Turner County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindSycamore, Turner County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | Thunderstorm WindSycamore, Turner County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindInaha, Turner County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindAmboy, Turner County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-02 | Thunderstorm WindDakota, Turner County An NWS survey team determined that straight line winds of 80 mph moved across Turner county. The severe winds downed hundreds of trees, knocked over a church steeple, and removed shingles and metal roofing from mobile homes and well-constructed outbuildings. In addition, a few mobile homes were damaged by falling ... | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $301K |
| 2007-12-15 | TornadoAshburn, Turner County A tornado touched down just southwest of Ashburn and tracked northeast through the city. Numerous trees were toppled, with several on top of houses and vehicles. Four mobile homes were destroyed and 39 frame homes were damaged. The tornado's winds twisted steel beams and tore the roofs off of two peanut warehouses. ... | EF1 3.5 mi x 125 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoHobby, Turner County This is a continuation of the EF3 tornado from Worth and Dougherty counties. The tornado entered Turner County along and north of Son Story Road with max winds estimated around 150 mph. Damage to a frame home along Ireland road was consistent with EF3 damage. Additional EF2 damage was found along this road. There was ... | EF3 18.5 mi x 2,200 yd | 0 | 25 | $6.0M |
| 1968-08-24 | TornadoTurner County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
| 1991-03-02 | TornadoTurner County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 2004-07-07 | LightningAshburn, Turner County Two persons were injured by lightning. Several fires were ignited by lightning. Reported by the Turner County Sheriff. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2021-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindAmboy, Turner County A 40x40 barn was destroyed along Reid Road with one serious injury reported to the person inside the barn. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| 2004-12-10 | Thunderstorm WindAshburn, Turner County One person was injured when their single-wide trailer overturned. Reported by the Turner County EMA. | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $31K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-15 | TornadoAshburn, Turner County | EF1 3.5 mi x 125 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2007-03-02 | TornadoSycamore, Turner County | EF1 1.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2018-10-10 | Tropical StormTurner County · forecast zone Turner | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 2017-01-02 | Thunderstorm WindDakota, Turner County | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $301K |
| 2022-04-07 | TornadoRebecca, Turner County | EF1 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $101K |
| 2004-12-10 | Thunderstorm WindAshburn, Turner County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $31K |
| 2021-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindAmboy, Turner County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| 2025-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindRebecca, Turner County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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: August 24, 1968 (tornado, Turner County); March 2, 1991 (tornado, Turner County); May 16, 1983 (tornado, Turner 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 Turner 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 | 11 | 20 | 16 | 39 | 26 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 29 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
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 Turner County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 10 · Mar 45 · Apr 22 · May 35 · Jun 24 · Jul 28 · Aug 21 · Sep 9 · Oct 4 · Nov 11 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Turner County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Turner County: 10 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3607 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 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 |
| 2017-01-25 | DR-4294 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 |
| 2000-02-15 | DR-1315 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms/Tornados |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and 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 Turner County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 32 flood or flash flood records for Turner County from 2013 to 2024, on 9 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Turner County ranks 2830th 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 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $0 on 1 claim filed in Turner County; the most in one year was 1 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2018: 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 Turner County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Turner 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $650K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $316K | 29 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $789K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $820K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $567K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $99K | 68 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $119K | once in about 770 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $17K | once in about 1,521 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Turner 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 Turner CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Turner County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis