Walton County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13297 · population 96,630 · 327 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 560 records for Walton County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 342 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (310 records). The deadliest single record is the March 31, 1973 tornado: 1 death and 50 injuries. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1973, 11 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
- 560on 342 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 165 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.0Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Walton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 310 since 1973. 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 | 310 | 166 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 2 | $103M | 27 of 159 |
| Hail | 75 | 62 | 1974-2023 | 0 | 0 | $7.7M | 39 of 159 |
| Drought | 39 | 39 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 58 of 159 |
| Floods | 25 | 15 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $35K | 60 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 25 | 25 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 47 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 19 | 17 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 1 | $177K | 54 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 15 | 15 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 11 | 1964-2021 | 1 | 62 | $1.8B | 81 of 159 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 12 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | $461K | 41 of 159 |
| Lightning | 10 | 10 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 34 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 101 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 Walton County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Walton County from 1964 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 62 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Walton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-05-28 15:00, as SPC files it | Winterville | F3 | 18.7 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Walton County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-03 | Gratis, Walton County | EF0 1.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2018-08-01 | Herndonville, Walton County | EF1 0.28 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2017-04-05 | Walnut Grove, Walton County | EF1 2.7 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2005-08-29 | Social Circle, Walton County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 1994-06-27 | Conyers, Walton County | F1 10 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 3 | $10.0M |
| 1994-06-27 | Monroe To, Walton County | F0 9 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1994-06-27 | Bold Springs, Walton County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 9 | $995K |
| 1990-02-10 | Walton County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-06-05 | Walton County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Walton County | F3 8.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1973-03-31 | Walton County | F2 22.1 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 50 | $250M step |
| 1969-05-18 | Walton County | F1 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-07 | Walton County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Walton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLoganville, Walton County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindYouth, Walton County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWalnut Grove, Walton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindPannell, Walton County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtWalton County · forecast zone Walton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtWalton County · forecast zone Walton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormWalton County · forecast zone Walton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | DroughtWalton County · forecast zone Walton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Ice StormWalton County · forecast zone Walton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindYouth, Walton County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindBold Spgs, Walton County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindBold Spgs, Walton County | 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-03-31 | TornadoWalton County | F2 22.1 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 50 | $250M step |
| 1994-06-27 | TornadoBold Springs, Walton County A tornado touched down along Georgia Highway 81 and damaged at four businesses, tore the steeple of Bold Springs Baptist Church and downed several trees and power lines. At least four homes were heavily damaged and a couple of trailers were severely damaged. Damage to homes was missing roofs or smashed windows. ... | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 9 | $995K |
| 1994-06-27 | TornadoConyers, Walton County A tornado touched down along Georgia Highway 20 near Mt. Zion Road, five miles north of Conyers where two large houses were leveled. The tornado lifted and descended several times at it moved east across rural Rockdale County. Numerous trees, power lines and poles were downed from the tornadic winds along its path. ... | F1 10 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 3 | $10.0M |
| 1988-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindWalton County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormWalton County · forecast zone Walton Emergency manager reported that a vehicle crashed into a fallen tree in the 600 block of McDaniel Street, resulting in one minor injury. | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindMonroe, Walton County | 0 | 0 | $102M | |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtWalton County · forecast zone Walton | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | |
| 2009-02-18 | HailLoganville, Walton County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.4M |
| 2008-03-15 | HailWalnut Grove, Walton County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2021-06-14 | HailYouth, Walton County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $980K |
| 2011-06-18 | HailHerndonville, Walton County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $525K |
| 2011-04-04 | LightningMonroe, Walton County | 0 | 0 | $394K | |
| 2005-08-17 | LightningMonroe, Walton County | 0 | 0 | $378K |
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 $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 31, 1973 (tornado, Walton County, 1 killed).
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 Walton 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 | 7 | 21 | 29 | 27 | 44 | 182 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 31 | 9 | 3 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 13 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 2 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 2 | 5 |
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 Walton County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 48 · Feb 53 · Mar 40 · Apr 55 · May 59 · Jun 109 · Jul 61 · Aug 61 · Sep 33 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Walton County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Walton County: 5 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (3) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2014-02-11 | EM-3368 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3218 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-01-28 | DR-1311 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1993-03-04 | DR-980 | Tornado | Tornadoes, High Winds & Heavy Rains |
| 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 Walton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 25 flood or flash flood records for Walton County from 2002 to 2024, on 15 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Walton County ranks 1865th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $286,000 on 33 claims filed in Walton County; the most in one year was 8 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 1 · 2015: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 3; 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 Walton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Walton County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $21.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $323K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.5M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $619K | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $735K | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 515 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $13M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $711K | 3.3 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Walton 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 Walton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Walton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis