Unicoi County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47171 · population 17,924 · 186 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 228 records for Unicoi County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 206 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (95 records). 118 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the September 27, 2024 flash flood: 9 deaths and $9.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1973, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on February 6, 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
- 228on 206 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1013 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $17Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Unicoi County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 95 since 1996. 57% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Tennessee'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 95 | 86 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 1 of 95 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 70 | 65 | 1967-2024 | 0 | 0 | $779K | 44 of 95 |
| Floods | 21 | 20 | 1996-2024 | 10 | 0 | $9.9M | 24 of 95 |
| Hail | 20 | 19 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $17K | 57 of 95 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $5.2M | 3 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1980-2011 | 0 | 12 | $915K | 86 of 95 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 95 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 1 | – | 53 of 95 |
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 Unicoi County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Unicoi County from 1980 to 2011, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 12 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Unicoi County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-07-10 12:30, as SPC files it | Unicoi | F3 | 1.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for Unicoi County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-09 | Rocky Fork, Unicoi County | EF0 1.04 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 1980-07-10 | Unicoi County | F3 1.9 mi x 100 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 Unicoi County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 27, 2024 flash flood (9 deaths and $9.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Flooding along portions of Hwy 19 was reported at 8:00 am EST. Reports from spotters, social media, broadcast media, and county officials increased through the day, including flooded roadways at 8:51 am EST. Flooding of the Nolichucky River at the Jackson Love Hwy bridge area was noted at 9:32 am EST. Flooding of the grounds around Unicoi Hospital was happening around 10:00 am EST, when a berm was overtopped or breached. The hospital structure was taking water by 11:00 am EST, and evacuation by ground had become unsafe. Occupants were taken to the roof, but winds prevented air rescue while rapidly rising and turbulent river flooding prevented water rescue. The hospital was surrounded and inundated by waters at least 7 feet deep by 12:45 pm EST. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1218675)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowUnicoi County · forecast zone Unicoi | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-10 | Heavy SnowUnicoi County · forecast zone Unicoi | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-30 | HailErnestville, Unicoi County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowUnicoi County · forecast zone Unicoi | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-10 | Heavy SnowUnicoi County · forecast zone Unicoi | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodErwin, Unicoi County | 9 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 2024-09-27 | High WindUnicoi County · forecast zone Unicoi | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.9M |
| 2020-02-06 | FloodUnicoi County | 1 | 0 | $399K | |
| 2011-04-09 | TornadoRocky Fork, Unicoi County | EF0 1.04 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2005-08-16 | LightningBumpass Cove, Unicoi County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2005-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindBanner Hill, Unicoi County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 1990-05-01 | HailUnicoi County | 2.75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodErwin, Unicoi County Flooding along portions of Hwy 19 was reported at 8:00 am EST. Reports from spotters, social media, broadcast media, and county officials increased through the day, including flooded roadways at 8:51 am EST. Flooding of the Nolichucky River at the Jackson Love Hwy bridge area was noted at 9:32 am EST. Flooding of the ... | 9 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 2020-02-06 | FloodUnicoi County Numerous roadways were flooded or damaged across the county. Circumstantially, a motorist swerved off of Unicoi Drive around 12:30 AM on the 7th, hit a concrete bridge structure that crosses Buffalo Creek, and rolled over into the flooded creek. The trapped occupant drowned. | 1 | 0 | $399K | |
| 1980-07-10 | TornadoUnicoi County | F3 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
| 2005-08-16 | LightningBumpass Cove, Unicoi County A 16 year old boy was walking toward his home in the Bumpus Cove area when lightning struck nearby, knocking him unconscious. He was taken by ambulance to Johnson City Medical Center for treatment. He was not seriously injured. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodErwin, Unicoi County | 9 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 2024-09-27 | High WindUnicoi County · forecast zone Unicoi | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.9M |
| 2020-02-06 | FloodUnicoi County | 1 | 0 | $399K | |
| 2011-04-09 | TornadoRocky Fork, Unicoi County | EF0 1.04 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2005-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindBanner Hill, Unicoi County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
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: July 10, 1980 (tornado, Unicoi 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 Unicoi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 36 | 30 | 16 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 16 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 35 · Mar 13 · Apr 22 · May 30 · Jun 18 · Jul 21 · Aug 10 · Sep 4 · Oct 5 · Nov 5 · Dec 32 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Unicoi County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Unicoi County: 12 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-06 | DR-4898 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3635 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-04-02 | EM-3625 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2024-10-02 | DR-4832 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024-09-27 | EM-3620 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2020-04-24 | DR-4541 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4514 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3473 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4427 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-10-07 | DR-1568 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-08-15 | DR-1387 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-01-13 | DR-1197 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-04-14 | DR-1022 | Flood | Extensive Rainfall and Flash Flooding |
| 1993-03-14 | EM-3095 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1984-05-25 | DR-708 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-11-12 | DR-544 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-03-21 | DR-366 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Unicoi County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Unicoi County from 1996 to 2024, on 20 days, with 10 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Unicoi County ranks 1530th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 9 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.3 million on 64 claims filed in Unicoi County; the most in one year was 17 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 16 · 2003: 4 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 17 · 2026: 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 Unicoi County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Unicoi County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $21K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $183K | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $666K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $268K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $26K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $169K | once in about 524 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $17K | once in about 58 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $15K | once in about 677 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Unicoi 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 TennesseeEvery Tennessee tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in TennesseeThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Tennessee recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Unicoi CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Unicoi County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis