Columbus

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Every large fire

1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Flood insurance figures are for Muscogee County, the county that contains Columbus.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Muscogee County, the county that contains Columbus.

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

The drought index is for Muscogee County, the county that contains Columbus.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Landslides mapped in Muscogee County.

Mapped by NASA (2).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Mar 1, 2007Tornado$28.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City and the National Weather Service in Calera, Alabama, concluded that an EF2 tornado, that originated in Russell county, Alabama, tracked across northwest and north central Muscogee county. The tornado first touched down in extreme northeast Russell county, Alabama about three miles from the Georgia border, then crossed into extreme southeast Lee county, Alabama, and then entered Georgia as it moved across the north end of Lake Oliver, about 1.5 miles west-southwest of Green Island Hills. The tornado continued to travel east-northeast across north Muscogee county, including the north suburbs of Columbus (Green…

2. Apr 19, 2009Tornado$3.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF1 tornado, which initially touched down in Phenix City - Russell County, Alabama as an EF2 tornado at the intersection of Dillingham and Broad Streets, continued into Muscogee county, Georgia and the city of Columbus. The total tornado path was determined to be approximately four miles in length, two of which fell within Muscogee county, Georgia. The maximum path width was determined to be 250 yards with maximum winds estimated at 105 mph. Damage within Georgia was first observed at Columbus State University. Significant damage was observed to buildings and…

3. Mar 18, 2013Hail$2.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The public and broadcast media reported large hail 1 to 2 inches in diameter across the Columbus area. The hail fell for 10 minutes and covered the ground.

4. Jan 21, 2012Hail$2.4 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Broadcast media and the Muscogee County 911 Center reported numerous reports of large hail across the northern part of the county, ranging in size from 1.00 to 1.75 inches.

5. Mar 13, 1997Tornado$750,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   An F1 tornado moved diagonally across the city of Columbus and Muscogee County before ending about one mile into Harris County. The total tornado track was about 10 and a quarter miles long, one mile in Harris County and the rest in Muscogee County.The tornado began at 5:12 pm EST on the southside of Columbus first touching down on Martin Luther King Boulevard where a business was partially de-roofed. The tornado moved northeastward through primarily residential sections such as Wynnton Grove, Averett Woods and Hilton Heights. Damage in these areas was primarily to trees and power lines.The tornado crossed Interstate 185 in the vicinity of Columbus College. Hardaway High School…

6. Mar 3, 2019Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A National Weather Service survey found that the deadly EF4 tornado that crossed Macon and Lee Counties in Alabama moved across the Chattahoochee River into Muscogee County Georgia with an EF1 intensity. The tornado entered the county in the Standing Boy Creek State Park, moving east northeast along Winding Ridge Road, Old River Road and Biggers Road causing extensive damage in forested areas. Large swaths of softwood trees were uprooted or snapped near their bases. The tornado continued east northeast crossing Winding Ridge Road and I-185 southwest of Fortson. As the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 27 between Woodridge Road and Almond Road, it reached EF3 intensity, toppling a large…

7. Apr 25, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$350,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Meteorologists with WRBL and WTVM Television in Columbus reported that a microburst or downburst had caused considerable damage in a small area on the northeast side of Columbus, or approximately one mile northeast of Kenwood. The worst damage was near the intersection of Macon Road and Crystal Road where the Crystal Valley Mobile Home Park was located. Other damage was noted from the Willow Bend residential area to Corporate Ridge Industrial Park. Over 100 large mature trees, many oaks and pines, were either uprooted or split within a two to three square mile-wide area. Several mobile homes were heavily damaged, including two of which were destroyed when large trees crushed them.…

8. Mar 15, 2001Thunderstorm Wind$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Columbus Ledger Enquirer newspaper, Columbus television station WTVM, as well as local emergency management officials reported widespread storm damage to much of the Historic District and surroundings areas of Columbus. The damage was caused by a strong gust front preceding a line of early morning thunderstorms. Wind gusts of 61 mph were measured by the ASOS unit at the Columbus airport, but winds were believed to have gusted to near 80 mph in the downtown Historic District of Columbus. Extensive and widespread damage occurred to trees, power lines, and structures throughout the Columbus area, particular in the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Brown Avenue areas. Martin…

9. Jun 2, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Columbus Ledger-Inquirer reported that at least 26 trees were blown down or uprooted around the city by thunderstorm winds. Several of these were large trees. Damage was reported to homes and vehicles in the area. Several large trees fell through mobile homes in the Pine Grove Mobile Home Park off Plateau Drive. A 40-50 foot branch fell through the back of one site-built home and another home was split in two by a large downed tree. The tree also damaged an adjacent vehicle. Several large trees were down in the city. Two trees were down on homes, one on Steam Mills Road, and several trees were down in yards. Up to 15,000 residents in the area lost power during the storm.

10. Mar 13, 2003Thunderstorm Wind$225,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The Muscogee county 911 center reported that over 17 reports of trees blown down were received from residents in the city of Columbus. The Columbus-Ledger Inquirer newspaper reported that one home in the historic district of Columbus was destroyed by a large tree that fell on the structure. Most of the homes damaged were on Schomberg Road, Mayo Drive, and Oates Avenue in Columbus. In addition, traffic lights and several power lines were also blown down. Other damage reports from the public included a tree down on a house causing damage and the side blown off a mobile home. Winds on the Columbus airport observation were measured at 39 knots, but most of the damage occurred in the…

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

106°FJun 30, 2012

All-time low

−2°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

82°FAug 2, 1999

Coldest day

23°FJan 21, 1985

Wettest day

5.92 inApr 19, 2020

Snowiest day

11.0 inFeb 9, 1973

Hottest year

2019mean 68.6°F

Coldest year

1968mean 62.8°F

Wettest year

200980.20 in

Driest year

199926.39 in

Snowiest season

14.0 in1972-73

Station Columbus Metro Airport (USW00093842), 394 ft elevation, 3.9 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Declarations for Muscogee County.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00093842.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.