Georgia has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 2,285 confirmed tornadoes, 8,656 hailstorm events and 23,248 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks 15th nationally for tornado frequency, and averages 30.5 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Georgia sits inside Dixie Alley, the south-eastern severe-weather corridor known for fast-moving and frequently overnight tornadoes. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Georgia from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).

Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.

Georgia Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 2,285 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 566 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 213 direct tornado deaths and 4,338 direct injuries
• 8,656 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 23,248 damaging-wind events on record
• 30.5 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• April is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 24.7% of Georgia tornadoes
• 403 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When Georgia Severe Weather Happens

Georgia tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 54% of all Georgia tornadoes, with April alone responsible for roughly 24.7%.

• April: 564 tornadoes (24.7%) — peak month
• March: 308 tornadoes (13.5%)
• May: 252 tornadoes (11%)
• January: 248 tornadoes (10.9%)
• February: 161 tornadoes (7%)
• December: 160 tornadoes (7%)

Top 10 Georgia Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in Georgia is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.

The Deadliest Tornadoes in Georgia History

Georgia has lost 213 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 18 people in Houston County in 1953, rated F4 on the Fujita scale.

Georgia Tornado Strength Distribution

Most Georgia tornadoes are weak: roughly 75% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 24.9% of rated tornadoes in the state.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 674 tornadoes — 29.6% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 1,035 tornadoes — 45.5% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 440 tornadoes — 19.3% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 109 tornadoes — 4.8% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 17 tornadoes — 0.7% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in Georgia

Largest hailstone: 4.50 inches in diameter, observed in Fayette County on April 25, 1988. The three largest hailstones on record in Georgia measured 4.50″, 4.50″, 4.25″.

Highest measured wind gust: 89 knots (102 mph) recorded in Grady County near Cairo on March 3, 2019. Most damaging-wind events in Georgia are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How Georgia Compares Nationally

Georgia ranks 15th nationally for tornado frequency since 1950, placing it in the upper third of states by severe-weather activity.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• Georgia tornado total: 2,285 — ranked 15th nationally.
• Georgia hail total: 8,656 hail events on record since 1950.
• Georgia wind total: 23,248 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does Georgia have on average per year?

Georgia averages 30.5 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.

What was the deadliest tornado in Georgia history?

The April 30, 1953 tornado, rated F4 on the Fujita scale, killed 18 people and injured 300 in Houston County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Georgia modern record.

Where in Georgia are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Fulton County with 38 events. The three most active counties overall are Fulton, Worth, Colquitt.

How does Georgia compare to its neighbors?

Georgia shares a severe-weather climate with Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Georgia’s neighbors’ records on the same date.

How recent is the data on this map?

The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.

Compare Georgia to Neighboring States

Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Georgia tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Georgia’s storm history to its land neighbors:

• Tennessee severe storm history — ranked 21st nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
• North Carolina severe storm history — ranked 20th nationally
• South Carolina severe storm history — ranked 24th nationally
• Florida severe storm history — ranked 4th nationally, Gulf-coast severe weather and hurricane corridor
• Alabama severe storm history — ranked 9th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes

Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map