Wilcox County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01131 · population 10,548 · 888 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 169 records for Wilcox County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 132 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (82 records). The deadliest single record is the March 1, 2007 tornado: 1 death, 2 injuries and $2.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1973, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 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
- 169on 132 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 14 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Wilcox County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 82 since 1971. The rank column places the county among Alabama'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 | 82 | 69 | 1971-2024 | 0 | 0 | $766K | 66 of 67 |
| Hail | 36 | 29 | 1985-2023 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 67 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 11 | 1957-2025 | 1 | 4 | $4.0M | 67 of 67 |
| Floods | 12 | 11 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $166K | 65 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 9 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 67 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 67 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2000-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | $31K | 63 of 67 |
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 Wilcox County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Wilcox County from 1957 to 2025, the strongest rated EF4, with 1 death and 4 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 Wilcox County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 12:27, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF4 | 6.08 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Wilcox County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-06 | Pine Hill, Wilcox County | EF1 1.76 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-06 | Pine Hill, Wilcox County | EF1 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | Shawnee, Wilcox County | EF1 3.23 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | Shawnee, Wilcox County | EF1 0.22 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | Shawnee, Wilcox County | EF1 0.87 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | Flatwood, Wilcox County | EF1 1.42 mi x 170 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | Camden, Wilcox County | EF1 0.77 mi x 170 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-12 | Arlington, Wilcox County | EF1 5.36 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-12-25 | Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox County | EF1 5.01 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-01 | Prairie, Wilcox County | EF4 6.08 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 2 | $2.8M |
| 2003-04-07 | Millers Ferry, Wilcox County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 1983-11-23 | Wilcox County | F2 4 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1977-09-06 | Wilcox County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-03-30 | Wilcox County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-06-28 | Wilcox County | F2 2 mi x 100 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 Wilcox County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 14, 2007 thunderstorm wind ($285,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Vredenburgh storm took on a bow-shaped appearance again as it entered Wilcox County and did sporadic damage to trees for another five to six miles. The storm continued northeast and crossed State Highway 265. The storm damaged some out buildings on County Road 45. The storm lost its intensity near County Road 45 and no other damage was found north of County Road 45.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 25633)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-06 | TornadoPine Hill, Wilcox County | EF1 1.76 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-06 | TornadoPine Hill, Wilcox County | EF1 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowWilcox County · forecast zone Wilcox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-03-26 | TornadoShawnee, Wilcox County | EF1 3.23 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | TornadoShawnee, Wilcox County | EF1 0.22 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | TornadoShawnee, Wilcox County | EF1 0.87 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-26 | TornadoFlatwood, Wilcox County | EF1 1.42 mi x 170 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | TornadoCamden, Wilcox County | EF1 0.77 mi x 170 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-12 | TornadoArlington, Wilcox County | EF1 5.36 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindOakhill, Wilcox County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-12-25 | TornadoLower Peach Tree, Wilcox County | EF1 5.01 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindFatama, Wilcox County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $285K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoPrairie, Wilcox County A significant tornado first touched down around 1227 pm at State Highway 28 near Miller's Ferry dam. The tornado then tracked northeast across William Bill Dannelly Reservoir moving ashore on Sand Island Drive. This is where most of the severe damage occurred with numerous homes damaged or destroyed. One resident had ... | EF4 6.08 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 2 | $2.8M |
| 1983-11-23 | TornadoWilcox County | F2 4 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 | TornadoPrairie, Wilcox County | EF4 6.08 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 2 | $2.8M |
| 2007-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindFatama, Wilcox County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2003-04-07 | TornadoMillers Ferry, Wilcox County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
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: November 23, 1983 (tornado, Wilcox 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 Wilcox 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 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
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 Wilcox County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 12 · Feb 12 · Mar 32 · Apr 37 · May 12 · Jun 24 · Jul 10 · Aug 8 · Sep 6 · Oct 6 · Nov 4 · Dec 6 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wilcox County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Wilcox County: 12 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3618 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020-12-10 | DR-4573 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-05-21 | DR-4546 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-10-08 | EM-3394 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017-09-11 | EM-3389 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2011-04-28 | DR-1971 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-27 | EM-3319 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2009-04-28 | DR-1835 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2007-03-03 | DR-1687 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3237 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-29 | DR-1605 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1593 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3045 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-03-14 | DR-458 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-03-27 | DR-369 | 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 Wilcox County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 12 flood or flash flood records for Wilcox County from 1996 to 2021, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wilcox County ranks 2075th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $124,000 on 21 claims filed in Wilcox County; the most in one year was 11 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1990: 11 · 1992: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 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 Wilcox County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wilcox County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.9 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 Low | $712K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $840K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.3M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $144K | 72 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $171K | 6.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $359K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $28K | 20 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $133K | 1.6 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 Wilcox 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 AlabamaEvery Alabama tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in AlabamaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Alabama recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Wilcox CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wilcox County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis