Georgia lightning
Every recorded lightning record since 1996 · 147 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,315 lightning records in Georgia from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 46 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the June 27, 2004 lightning in Gwinnett County: 3 deaths, 10 injuries and $117,000 in damage in 2025 dollars across 2 records. Georgia ranks 2nd of 52 states and territories by count and 9th of 51 per square mile.
Lightning in Georgia, 1996 to 2026
Lightning records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 1,3151996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 46average
- Deaths
- 40285 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $151Mas filed
- Busiest year
- 2010112 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are lightning records common in Georgia?
Georgia averages about 46 lightning records a year since 2000, 2nd of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2010 (112). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Georgia records 228 lightning records since 1996, 9th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Georgia have the most lightning records?
Per square mile, Fayette County leads Georgia: 48 days with a lightning record since 1996, 246.5 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Gwinnett County has the most lightning records (129 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the lightning season in Georgia?
50% of its lightning records since 1996 fell in June and July. The busiest month is July (373 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 33 · Mar 44 · Apr 80 · May 126 · Jun 284 · Jul 373 · Aug 255 · Sep 60 · Oct 21 · Nov 16 · Dec 8 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest lightning records in Georgia?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-27 | LightningSugar Hill, Gwinnett County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Several Atlanta news media television stations, along with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that three individuals were killed and six were injured at Buford Dam State Park at the south end of Lake Lanier when lightning strikes hit one or more trees under which the individuals were seeking refuge during a ... | 3 | 10 | $117K | |
| 2004-05-17 | LightningDunwoody, DeKalb County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. The Atlanta-Journal/Constitution reported that a 34-year old man of Douglasville, who was installing a pool at a private residence, was struck and killed by lightning while leaning against a truck outside at the site. The bolt of lightning struck the ground about 30 feet from where the individual was located at the ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2010-07-13 | LightningLeland, Cobb County WXIA Television of Atlanta reported that two teenage girls were struck by lightning while standing under a tree adjacent to their home at the Windwood apartments, just south of Mableton. The 16-year old female died shortly after being transported from the scene to the hospital. Her 14-year old cousin died on July 21st ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-10 | LightningEmerson Park, Ware County Two males, 18 and 19 years old, were killed by lightning in an open field near a vehicle during a thunderstorm Thursday evening along Lejuene Road and Alton Circle after fishing. The time of the event was based on county official information and lightning data. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-07-28 | LightningGainesville, Hall County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. The Gainesville Times reported that a 14-year old girl and her 17-month old cousin died when lightning struck a tree under which they were standing at Old Federal Park on Lake Lanier. The two died within an hour of the incident at a nearby hospital in Gainesville. The 14-year old was holding the little girl in her ... | 2 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2000-03-26 | LightningQuitman, Brooks County Lightning struck and killed two men working in a dairy field. Reported by the Brooks County SO. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-07-20 | LightningFt Gordon, Richmond County According to media reports, a lightning strike at Fort Gordon, GA, killed one person and injured 9 others during a training exercise in the NW corner of the base. | 1 | 9 | – | |
| 2000-07-25 | LightningDorchester, Liberty County Two families from Richmond Hill in Bryan county were out boating when a strong thunderstorm developed suddenly. They took shelter under an eroded embankment, which was pierced by the roots of a large, isolated pine tree. The lightning struck the tree and traveled through the tree, down its roots and into the members ... | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2013-07-22 | LightningFaceville, Decatur County Lightning struck Lady Moon Farms, resuling in 1 fatality and 2 injuries. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-06-30 | LightningTy Ty, Tift County Three men taking shelter under a pecan tree off Ty Ty-Sparkss Road were struck by lightning. Two of the men were injured and one was killed. | 1 | 2 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest lightning records in Georgia
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-30 | LightningShellman, Randolph County | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | |
| 2012-07-26 | LightningWinder, Barrow County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2004-06-22 | LightningWilmington Is, Chatham County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2010-06-16 | LightningBirmingham, Fulton County One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 1999-07-06 | LightningSandy Spgs, Fulton County One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2007-08-24 | LightningFayetteville, Fayette County One storm episode: 6 records in 6 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 1 | $2.5M | |
| 2000-08-10 | LightningCanton, Cherokee County One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 1 | $2.4M | |
| 2019-08-24 | LightningFairway Oaks, Chatham County | 0 | 3 | $2.3M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are lightning records becoming more frequent in Georgia?
Georgia's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Georgia | United States | Georgia's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 112 | 3,521 | 3.2% |
| 2000s | 744 | 8,052 | 9.2% |
| 2010s | 380 | 5,103 | 7.4% |
| 2020-26 | 79 | 1,544 | 5.1% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent lightning records in Georgia
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | LightningSt Marys Airport, Camden County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2026-06-14 | LightningMetter, Candler County | 0 | 0 | $150K | |
| 2026-06-12 | LightningDover, Screven County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2026-06-12 | LightningAimar, Long County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-07-11 | LightningMetter, Candler County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-07-11 | LightningLiberty City, Chatham County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-07-11 | LightningVernonburg, Chatham County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-07-10 | LightningBlanford, Effingham County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2025-07-10 | LightningEmerson Park, Ware County | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-28 | LightningScotchville, Camden County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-04-10 | LightningHoschton, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-04-06 | LightningMidway, Douglas County | 0 | 0 | $10K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Next
- Fayette County: the county's whole recordThe Georgia county with the most lightning records per square mile
- Lightning across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in GeorgiaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
- Severe thunderstorm wind in Georgia24,657 records
- Hail in Georgia8,810 records
- Drought in Georgia5,192 records