Wayne County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13305 · population 30,031 · 642 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 352 records for Wayne County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 232 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (196 records). The most damaging was the April 25, 2026 wildfire ($2.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1977, 17 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
- 352on 232 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 09 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.1Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Wayne County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 196 since 1955. 41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. 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 | 196 | 148 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $578K | 124 of 159 |
| Hail | 74 | 47 | 1970-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 110 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 18 | 12 | 2003-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 21 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 14 | 1955-2020 | 0 | 9 | $275K | 130 of 159 |
| Floods | 11 | 11 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $136K | 137 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 11 | 10 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 139 of 159 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 2025-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 151 of 159 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $89K | 88 of 159 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 15 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 2000-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2010-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 155 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 142 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 Wayne County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Wayne County from 1955 to 2020, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 9 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Wayne County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Wayne County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-13 | Odum, Wayne County | EF1 4.75 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 2019-03-03 | Jesup, Wayne County | EF0 0.27 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-24 | Screvan, Wayne County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-12-09 | Jesup, Wayne County | EF1 1.6 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2008-03-07 | Mt Pleasant, Wayne County | EF1 0.61 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2005-03-22 | Screvan, Wayne County | F2 2 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-03-20 | Madray Spgs, Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-12-24 | Jesup, Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-10-21 | Screvan, Wayne County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-03-30 | Gardi, Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 1999-05-10 | Kville, Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1995-11-07 | Screvin, Wayne County | F1 100 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 1980-04-26 | Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-04-13 | Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Wayne County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 1, 2026 wildfire ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | WildfireWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | WildfireWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-25 | WildfireWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-29 | WildfireWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindOdum, Wayne County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $70K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-13 | TornadoOdum, Wayne County A high end EF1 tornado with peak winds near 110 mph touched down in Odum and tracked ENE for about 4.5 miles before lifting up again. There were 8 reported injuries. A manufactured home was lifted off of the ground and over power lines near Hyma Poppell Loop near Poppel Farms. Roof and window damage occurred to some ... | EF1 4.75 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 2009-12-09 | TornadoJesup, Wayne County A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF1 touchdown near 632 Longford Road. At that location trees were overturned and snapped, a swimming pool cage was destroyed and a shed was flipped over onto its side. Winds here were estimated to be 90 mph or EF-1 velocity. The vortex then moved northeast over a ... | EF1 1.6 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-25 | WildfireWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2026-05-01 | WildfireWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2012-12-17 | Thunderstorm WindRoss, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $257K |
| 2000-03-30 | TornadoGardi, Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindOdum, Wayne County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $70K |
| 1995-11-07 | TornadoScrevin, Wayne County | F1 100 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2008-03-07 | TornadoMt Pleasant, Wayne County | EF1 0.61 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 1999-05-10 | TornadoKville, Wayne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 26, 1980 (tornado, Wayne 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 Wayne 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 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 56 | 77 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 38 | 16 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 10 · Feb 15 · Mar 38 · Apr 40 · May 54 · Jun 83 · Jul 31 · Aug 43 · Sep 16 · Oct 6 · Nov 4 · Dec 12 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wayne County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Wayne County: 9 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2019-09-01 | EM-3422 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 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 |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3097 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3044 | Drought | Drought |
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 Wayne County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Wayne County from 1998 to 2024, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wayne County ranks 2477th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $56,000 on 7 claims filed in Wayne County; the most in one year was 3 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2003: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2021: 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 Wayne County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wayne County Relatively 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 | $4.9M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $457K | once in about 576 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $360K | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $801K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $190K | 72 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $64K | 21 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $42K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Wayne 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 Wayne CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wayne County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis