Walker County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13295 · population 67,609 · 446 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 438 records for Walker County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 340 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (166 records). The deadliest single record is the May 2, 1997 tornado: 1 death, 3 injuries and $184,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1973, 17 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
- 438on 340 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 232 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $75Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Walker County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 166 since 1973. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in May and June. 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 | 166 | 129 | 1973-2025 | 0 | 1 | $2.1M | 86 of 159 |
| Hail | 74 | 59 | 1979-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 62 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 51 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 37 of 159 |
| Drought | 38 | 38 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $20M | 95 of 159 |
| Floods | 20 | 16 | 2003-2021 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 74 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 17 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 89 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 14 | 2002-2019 | 0 | 0 | $507K | 48 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 159 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2015 | 1 | 0 | – | 76 of 159 |
| Wildfires | 11 | 11 | 2009-2016 | 0 | 0 | $558K | 7 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1956-2020 | 1 | 31 | $35M | 127 of 159 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | $334K | 78 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2001-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 94 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1998-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 108 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 Walker County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Walker County from 1956 to 2020, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death and 31 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Walker County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 15 people, 1 of them in Walker County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 15:01, as SPC files it | ScottsboroCrossed AL, GA | EF4 | 46.98 mi | 14 |
| 1997-05-02 17:40, as SPC files it | Chickamauga | F1 | 10 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Walker County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-12 | Oakton, Walker County | EF2 5.84 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $342K |
| 2018-06-22 | Lake Howard, Walker County | EF0 1.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2011-04-27 | Hinkles, Walker County | EF2 9.8 mi x 1,056 yd | 0 | 25 | $6.6M |
| 1998-04-16 | Flintstone, Walker County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $181K |
| 1997-05-02 | Chickamauga, Walker County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 3 | $184K |
| 1992-11-22 | Walker County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-05-19 | Walker County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-27 | Walker County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-05-12 | Walker County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1956-02-18 | Walker County | F2 22.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Walker County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-27 | HailLookout Mtn, Walker County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindRock Spg, Walker County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindLafayette Airport, Walker County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSpencer Hills, Walker County | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindLake Howard, Walker County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindRock Spg, Walker County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindHawkins, Walker County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindOakton, Walker County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-05-02 | TornadoChickamauga, Walker County The tornado touched down just southwest of Chickamauga in the Ridgecrest Acre mobile home park. Touchdown was noted to be at the intersection of Georgia Highway 136 and 193. Three mobile homes were completely destroyed, and a total of 28 homes/ mobile homes had damage varying from moderate to being totally destroyed. ... | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 3 | $184K |
| 2015-09-05 | Excessive HeatWalker County · forecast zone Walker A Chattanooga Tennessee television news station reported a heat related death in Chickamauga, Georgia in Walker County. An 11-month-old boy was left in a closed vehicle for approximately two and a half hours during the afternoon of Saturday, September 5th. Air temperatures were reported to be in the lower 90s and a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoHinkles, Walker County This tornado is a continuation of the EF3 tornado that originated in DeKalb county, Alabama, tracked across central Dade county, Georgia, and then across northern Walker county, Georgia before lifting just before reaching the Tennessee line. The tornado weakened to an EF2 strength before entering Walker county, and ... | EF2 9.8 mi x 1,056 yd | 0 | 25 | $6.6M |
| 1998-04-16 | TornadoFlintstone, Walker County Police and fire officials reported a tornado. It apparently touched down briefly destroying 3 trailers, 2 barns and a car. The roof was torn off of a house. Trees and power lines were downed. The intensity, width and length were estimated. | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $181K |
| 1997-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindLa Fayette, Walker County Thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees and power lines across the northern portion of Walker county. One tree fell onto the electrical wiring running to a trailer, which ignited a fire. The sole occupant, a 74 year old woman was injured. More than 30,000 people were without power. 50 homes and 100 cars were ... | 0 | 1 | $74K | |
| 1983-05-19 | TornadoWalker County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodMissionary Ridge, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $8.0M | |
| 2009-09-20 | Flash FloodDickey, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodMissionary Ridge, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2003-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Walker County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 2009-09-21 | FloodMissionary Ridge, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $743K | |
| 2004-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $469K | |
| 2016-10-05 | WildfireWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | $465K |
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: February 18, 1956 (tornado, Walker 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 Walker 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 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 44 | 45 | 48 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 33 | 14 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 17 | 22 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 16 | 13 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 13 | 2 | 2 |
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 1973 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 36 · Mar 21 · Apr 53 · May 78 · Jun 51 · Jul 43 · Aug 31 · Sep 31 · Oct 20 · Nov 14 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Walker County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Walker County: 11 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and hurricane (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3642 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4501 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3464 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014-03-06 | DR-4165 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-04-29 | DR-1973 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2009-09-24 | DR-1858 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1998-03-11 | DR-1209 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-10-10 | DR-1071 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1994-03-31 | DR-1020 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, and Severe Storms |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-04-04 | DR-370 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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 Walker County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Walker County from 2003 to 2021, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Walker County ranks 1153rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.6 million on 135 claims filed in Walker County; the most in one year was 62 in 2009. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 8 · 1990: 4 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 17 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 10 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 62 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2020: 6 · 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 Walker County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Walker County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $29.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | $9.2M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.6M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $121K | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $474K | 29 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $855K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $344K | 61 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 245 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $9K | about once 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 Walker 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 Walker CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Walker County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis