Wilcox County, Georgia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 13315 · population 8,740 · 378 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 273 records for Wilcox County, Georgia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 176 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (68 records). 161 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 November 8, 1989 tornado: 1 death and 8 injuries. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1977, 16 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
- 273on 176 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 111 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $52Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest EF2
- 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 Wilcox County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 68 since 1958. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 68 | 65 | 1958-2022 | 0 | 2 | $1.3M | 143 of 159 |
| Drought | 47 | 27 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $30M | 120 of 159 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 29 | 16 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | $127K | 76 of 159 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 14 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 159 |
| Heat | 22 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 of 159 |
| Hail | 21 | 19 | 1984-2020 | 0 | 0 | $189K | 138 of 159 |
| Floods | 15 | 9 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $517K | 112 of 159 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 12 | 1955-2023 | 1 | 9 | $5.4M | 92 of 159 |
| Winter storms | 10 | 7 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $227K | 104 of 159 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 4 | 1998-2004 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 91 of 159 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 3 | 2001-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 81 of 159 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2000-2006 | 0 | 0 | $502K | 102 of 159 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 2002-2002 | 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 Wilcox County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Wilcox County from 1955 to 2023, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Wilcox County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 1 of them in Wilcox County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-22 14:15, as SPC files it | Albany | EF3 | 70.4 mi | 5 |
| 1989-11-08 15:35, as SPC files it | Pineview | F2 | 0.8 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Georgia.
Every tornado record filed for Wilcox County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-12 | Abbeville, Wilcox County | EF1 3.13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-12 | Pineview, Wilcox County | EF0 2.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | Abbeville, Wilcox County | EF0 5.53 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-02 | Sibbie, Wilcox County | EF0 0.52 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-23 | Double Run, Wilcox County | EF1 1.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $602K |
| 2017-01-22 | Double Run, Wilcox County | EF2 14.53 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $361K |
| 2009-04-10 | Double Run, Wilcox County | EF0 11.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $963K |
| 2009-04-10 | Five Points, Wilcox County | EF1 1.17 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2007-12-15 | Owensboro, Wilcox County | EF1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2005-12-28 | Pitts, Wilcox County | F0 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $189K |
| 1989-11-08 | Wilcox County | F2 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 8 | $250K step |
| 1971-04-23 | Wilcox County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1963-01-20 | Wilcox County | F1 8.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1955-04-14 | Wilcox County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 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 Wilcox County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 11, 2019 thunderstorm wind (2 injuries and $58,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A portion of a rood to the Abbeville supermarket was blown off during a thunderstorm , landing in the parking lot and resulting in minor damage to 3 vehicles. Two people sustained minor injuries, mainly cuts from glass.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 837779)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtWilcox County · forecast zone Wilcox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtWilcox County · forecast zone Wilcox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormWilcox County · forecast zone Wilcox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtWilcox County · forecast zone Wilcox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-01-12 | TornadoAbbeville, Wilcox County | EF1 3.13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-12 | TornadoPineview, Wilcox County | EF0 2.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | TornadoAbbeville, Wilcox County | EF0 5.53 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-02 | TornadoSibbie, Wilcox County | EF0 0.52 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-11 | Thunderstorm WindAbbeville, Wilcox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $58K |
| 2017-05-23 | TornadoDouble Run, Wilcox County | EF1 1.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $602K |
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoDouble Run, Wilcox County | EF2 14.53 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $361K |
| 2011-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindPineview, Wilcox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $262K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-11-08 | TornadoWilcox County | F2 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 8 | $250K step |
| 2019-05-11 | Thunderstorm WindAbbeville, Wilcox County A portion of a rood to the Abbeville supermarket was blown off during a thunderstorm , landing in the parking lot and resulting in minor damage to 3 vehicles. Two people sustained minor injuries, mainly cuts from glass. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $58K |
| 1971-04-23 | TornadoWilcox County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtWilcox County · forecast zone Wilcox | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2004-09-06 | High WindPulaski County and Wilcox County · forecast zone Pulaski | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $13M |
| 2000-06-01 | DroughtPulaski County and Wilcox County · forecast zone Pulaski | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2009-04-10 | TornadoDouble Run, Wilcox County | EF0 11.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $963K |
| 2017-05-23 | TornadoDouble Run, Wilcox County | EF1 1.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $602K |
| 2017-01-22 | TornadoDouble Run, Wilcox County | EF2 14.53 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $361K |
| 2008-10-09 | Thunderstorm WindRochelle, Wilcox County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 2011-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindPineview, Wilcox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $262K |
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 8, 1989 (tornado, Wilcox County, 1 killed); January 20, 1963 (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 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 7 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 34 | 4 | 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 23 | 6 | 0 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 4 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
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 1958 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 32 · Feb 13 · Mar 22 · Apr 23 · May 26 · Jun 33 · Jul 28 · Aug 19 · Sep 30 · Oct 21 · Nov 11 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wilcox County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Wilcox County: 10 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3642 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-30 | DR-4830 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3616 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3607 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4501 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3464 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-10-14 | DR-4400 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018-10-10 | EM-3406 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-15 | DR-4338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-08 | EM-3387 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-01-26 | DR-4297 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1994-07-07 | DR-1033 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
| 1990-02-23 | DR-857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornaodes & Flooding |
| 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Wilcox County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wilcox County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $714K | 29 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $220K | 7.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $664K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $280K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $88K | 67 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $20K | once in about 1,528 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $100K | once in about 640 years (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 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 Wilcox CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wilcox County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis