Covington
Population 17,477 (2025)
74 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Covington since 1950, 3 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 29, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195074
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger18
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19843
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Newton County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Newton County.
Strongest tornado
F3
December 24, 1964, 75.4 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Helene, 2024, 43.5 miles away
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
December 24, 1964
F3, 75.4 mile path
400 yards wide.
Deadliest
January 12, 2023
4 killed, EF2
40 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Thursday, May 29, 2025
EF2, 1.8 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 29, 2025 | EF2 | 1.8 | 2 | 0 |
| May 21, 2025 | EF1 | 10.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 2025 | EF0 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2025 | EF0 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2025 | EF1 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 16, 2025 | EF1 | 6.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF2 | 9.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF1 | 20.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF1 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF2 | 125.8 | 40 | 4 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | 31.2 | 18 | 0 |
| Jan 3, 2023 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 31, 2021 | EF1 | 2.5 | 6 | 0 |
| May 3, 2021 | EF0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 10, 2020 | EF0 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 10, 2020 | EF1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 12, 2019 | EF0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 1, 2018 | EF1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2017 | EF1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2017 | EF0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 23, 2014 | EF1 | 21.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 2013 | EF0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 2013 | EF0 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 2013 | EF2 | 7.6 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 25.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 30, 2010 | EF0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2010 | EF1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF1 | 7.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 18, 2009 | EF1 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2, 2006 | F1 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 4, 2005 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2005 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2005 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 1, 2003 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | F1 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F2 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F1 | 10.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F0 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F1 | 1.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F2 | 8.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Feb 10, 1990 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 10, 1990 | F1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 17, 1985 | F1 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 31, 1984 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F1 | 12.0 | 1 | 0 |
| May 10, 1981 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1980 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1978 | F1 | 6.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1978 | F1 | 15.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2, 1977 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| May 28, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1976 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 1973 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1973 | F3 | 18.7 | 65 | 1 |
| Mar 31, 1973 | F2 | 72.4 | 100 | 2 |
| Apr 7, 1972 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 1969 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1969 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1969 | F1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1969 | F2 | 15.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 1968 | F1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 22, 1968 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 6, 1967 | F2 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 1965 | F2 | 7.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 24, 1964 | F3 | 75.4 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 1964 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
7 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
43.5 miles at closest approach, winds near 63 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
43.5 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 43.5 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 84.7 | Tropical storm |
| Michael | 2018 | 65.8 | Tropical storm |
| Eloise | 1975 | 79.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 58.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 71.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 64.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 5.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 37.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 37.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 23.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 80.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 59.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 63.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 26.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 14.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 42.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 76.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 18.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 13.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 41.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 90.8 | Tropical storm |
- 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.
Wildfire and smoke
3 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
March 12, 2008
Unnamed Fire, 1,207 acres
17.9 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
March 29, 2008
Unnamed Fire
774 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Unnamed | 2008 | 24.5 | 774 |
| Unnamed | 2008 | 17.9 | 1,207 |
| Unnamed | 2007 | 22.0 | 888 |
- 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
Smokiest year
2023: 43 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
10.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
9 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 32 so far in 2026.
- 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.
Floods and flood insurance
45 federal flood insurance claims since 1992, with $736,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Newton County, the county that contains Covington.
Most claims in one year
2009: 7 claims
$95,000 paid.
2nd most
2015: 7 claims
$213,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 30016 | 19 | $171,000 |
| 30014 | 11 | $240,000 |
| 30233 | 8 | $234,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood8
- Heavy Rain5
- Flood4
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 Newton County, the county that contains Covington.
Most severe crest
April 16, 1936
Alcovy River below Covington, 22.40 ft
11.40 feet above the 11.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
January 11, 2024
Alcovy River below Covington, 15.84 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Alcovy River above Covington | 12.0 | 14.79 ft | 0 |
| Alcovy River below Covington | 11.0 | 22.40 ft | 3 |
| Big Haynes Creek at Bald Rock Road near Milstead | 12.0 | 22.46 ft | 1 |
| Cornish Creek at Hazelbrand Road near Covington | 14.0 | — | 0 |
| East Bear Creek at Poplar Road near Mansfield | 9.0 | — | 0 |
| Little Cornish Creek at County Road 95 near Oxford | 9.0 | — | 0 |
| Yellow River at Rocky Plains Road near Rocky Plains | 18.0 | 22.09 ft | 0 |
- 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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 129 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
The drought index is for Newton County, the county that contains Covington.
129
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
35
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
35
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1925
−6.53, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
March 2007 to July 2008.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.16, moderate drought
Last severe month: April 2026.
- 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.
Earthquakes
1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.5 in 1914.
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
1
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
March 5, 1914
Magnitude 4.5
Near Madison, Georgia; 21.2 miles away.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
April 4, 2009
Magnitude 3.1
15 km N of Milledgeville, Georgia; 45.9 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Mar 5, 1914 | 4.5 | 21.2 |
- 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.
- 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.
Severe weather and other events
347 events in the National Weather Service record for Newton County, 293 of them since 1996.
39
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
61
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
25
Winter weather events since 1996
12
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 7, 1986
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 3, 2017
75 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 9 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Mar 18, 2013Hail$1.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Newton County 911 Center reported golfball sized hail in the Mansfield area.
- Apr 28, 2013Hail$1.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public reported golf ball sized hail across Covington.
- Jun 15, 2020Hail$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public reported hail ranging from the size of nickels to the size of golf balls at the intersection of Highway 278 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, damaging at least 1 vehicle.
- Jan 22, 2000Ice Storm, Newton$980,000
National Weather Service narrative
Wintry precipitation plagued the northern third of Georgia beginning Saturday and continued into Sunday. A shallow cold airmass with single-digit dewpoint temperatures was in place over north Georgia, with temperatures in the upper 20s to lower 30s over much of the area. An upper level disturbance moved rapidly over the area in a fast zonal flow, bringing an increase in mid-tropospheric moisture. At the same time, lower level moisture spread into the area from the Gulf of Mexico. Precipitation began falling into the colder layer of air near the surface by mid-morning on the 22nd. The mixture of light rain, snow and sleet had spread from northwest to northeast Georgia by early…
- Dec 30, 2015Flash Flood$781,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Newton County Emergency Manager reported an entire shopping center parking lot in the Covington area was flooded by the adjacent Dried Indian Creek. Flood waters entered some of the stores.
- Mar 15, 2008Hail$700,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several reports of half-dollar to golf ball-sized hail were received from the public and amateur radio operators across the northern portions of Newton county. Golf ball-sized hail was observed in Covington as well.
- Sep 21, 2009Flood$700,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Newton County Emergency Management Director reported that a mobile home community was completely flooded out. Many creeks, streams, and rivers in the area were at or above bankfull. Some roads were also flooded. Monetary damage within the county, mostly within the flooded mobile home park, was estimated to be $700,000.
- Mar 15, 2008Hail$700,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Newton County Sheriff's office observed golf ball-sized hail near Covington. Radar supported that this thunderstorm tracked mainly across southern Newton county.
- Feb 18, 2009Tornado$625,000
National Weather Service narrative
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF1 tornado had touched down in southern Newton county causing extensive damage to some 30 homes in a heavily wooded subdivision just south of High Point. The tornado touched down near the intersection of King Bostwick Road and Channing Cope Road and travelled approximately three miles almost due east to a point approximately 1/2 mile southeast of the intersection of Henderson Mill Road and Taylor Road. Damage to the homes was nearly 100 percent the result of downed trees.
- Apr 19, 2013Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
A National Weather Service storm survey determined that an EF-2 tornado formed within a line of storms moving through Newton County. It first touched down along Dukes Road, southwest of Mansfield, where it snapped and uprooted a few trees. As the tornado moved east along Kellogg Street it increased in intensity, producing EF-1 damage to several homes along Kellogg Street and Savannah Street. The EF-2 damage occurred to an older home on the north side of Kellogg Street where the home was completely destroyed. A mobile home further east along Kellogg Street was also completely destroyed. One person was injured in the mobile home and was trapped within the debris. Numerous trees and…
- 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.
Weather records
From Monticello, 20.7 miles from the city centre, with records from 1891.
- All-time high
- 109°FJul 12, 1930
- All-time low
- −7°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 86°FJul 7, 1990
- Coldest day
- 16°FDec 26, 1983
- Wettest day
- 8.20 inMar 5, 2025
- Snowiest day
- 15.0 inFeb 10, 1973
- Hottest year
- 1990mean 66.8°F
- Coldest year
- 2010mean 59.9°F
- Wettest year
- 202494.29 in
- Driest year
- 195426.45 in
Station Monticello (USC00095988), 518 ft elevation, 20.7 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1891 to June 30, 2026; 85.0% 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.
Federal disaster declarations
21 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.
Declarations for Newton County.
| Oct 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657-GA |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642-GA |
| Sep 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-GA |
| Jan 16, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4685-GA |
| Mar 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501-GA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3464-GA |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Hurricane | DR-4338-GA |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Hurricane | EM-3387-GA |
| Feb 26, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4259-GA |
| Mar 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4165-GA |
| Feb 11, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3368-GA |
| Apr 29, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1973-GA |
| Sep 24, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1858-GA |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Jan 28, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1311-GA |
| Mar 11, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1209-GA |
| Jul 7, 1994 | Tornado | DR-1033-GA |
| Mar 15, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3097-GA |
| Feb 23, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-857-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
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.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- 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 USC00095988.
- 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.
- 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.