Cumming
Population 12,494 (2025)
98 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Cumming since 1950, 10 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 20, 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 195098
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger10
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19841
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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth County.
Strongest tornado
F4
March 27, 1994, 49.0 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Zeta, 2020, 47.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 10 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
March 27, 1994
F4, 49.0 mile path
1,760 yards wide; 3 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
March 20, 1998
12 killed, F3
171 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
EF0, 2.0 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 20, 2025 | EF0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 2025 | EF1 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 29, 2024 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 29, 2024 | EF1 | 0.3 | 2 | 0 |
| Jul 20, 2023 | EF1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 2023 | EF0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 29, 2021 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 29, 2021 | EF0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2021 | EF0 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 10, 2020 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2017 | EF0 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2017 | EF1 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 30, 2016 | EF0 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 14, 2014 | EF1 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 14, 2014 | EF1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 11, 2014 | EF0 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 2013 | EF1 | 12.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 2013 | EF1 | 8.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 11, 2013 | EF1 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 5, 2011 | EF1 | 28.4 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 30, 2010 | EF2 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 27, 2010 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 2009 | EF1 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF1 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF1 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 2008 | EF1 | 5.9 | 4 | 0 |
| Feb 26, 2008 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2006 | F1 | 18.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F1 | 1.0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 2004 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2003 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 11, 2002 | F2 | 23.0 | 13 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 2000 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2000 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2000 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1998 | F2 | 19.0 | 10 | 1 |
| Mar 20, 1998 | F3 | 4.0 | 171 | 12 |
| Nov 7, 1996 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 7, 1996 | F1 | 6.0 | 12 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 1996 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1994 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1994 | F2 | 8.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F1 | 8.0 | 7 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 40.0 | 70 | 9 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 44.0 | 45 | 3 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F4 | 49.0 | 20 | 3 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F1 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F4 | 20.0 | 46 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 3 | 0 |
| Feb 10, 1990 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1989 | F1 | 1.0 | 11 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 1986 | F2 | 5.7 | 15 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 1985 | F2 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 10, 1984 | F2 | 1.5 | 8 | 0 |
| May 7, 1984 | F1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 3, 1983 | F1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 4, 1982 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1980 | F1 | 4.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 23, 1979 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F1 | 5.2 | 1 | 0 |
| May 28, 1976 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 24, 1975 | F3 | 14.8 | 152 | 3 |
| Mar 13, 1975 | F1 | 9.6 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 7, 1975 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1974 | F1 | 1.0 | 8 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 17.7 | 30 | 6 |
| Dec 13, 1973 | F3 | 9.5 | 21 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1971 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1970 | F3 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 29, 1970 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1969 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1965 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1965 | F2 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 11, 1962 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 1962 | F3 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1961 | F1 | 6.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 1959 | F0 | 0.1 | 6 | 0 |
| Feb 10, 1959 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 1958 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1956 | F2 | 46.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1954 | F1 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 1954 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 4, 1953 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1950 | F1 | 3.3 | 1 | 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
3 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 29, 2020
Zeta, Tropical storm
47.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 55 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
55.0 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 55.0 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 47.3 | Tropical storm |
| Eloise | 1975 | 48.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 98.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 74.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 39.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 7.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 7.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 52.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 77.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 57.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 85.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 58.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 44.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 85.5 | 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
1 large fire burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
March 22, 2011
Sandy Bottoms Fire, 594 acres
20.4 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
March 22, 2011
Sandy Bottoms Fire
594 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Sandy Bottoms | 2011 | 20.4 | 594 |
- 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: 45 days
Heavy smoke on 5 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.8 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
7 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 28 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
66 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $928,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Forsyth County, the county that contains Cumming.
Most claims in one year
2013: 14 claims
$162,000 paid.
2nd most
2009: 10 claims
$49,000 paid.
3rd most
2020: 10 claims
$433,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 30041 | 23 | $372,000 |
| 30040 | 19 | $67,000 |
| 30024 | 6 | $371,000 |
| 30097 | 5 | $43,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood22
- Flood11
- Heavy Rain3
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 Forsyth County, the county that contains Cumming.
Most severe crest
October 11, 2020
Dick Creek at Old Atlanta Road near Suwanee, 15.64 ft
5.64 feet above the 10.0 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
October 11, 2020
Dick Creek at Old Atlanta Road near Suwanee, 15.64 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming | 6.0 | 10.43 ft | 0 |
| Chattahoochee River at 0.76 mile upstream McGinnis Ferry near Suwanee | 22.0 | — | 0 |
| Chattahoochee River at Buford Dam near Buford | 12.0 | 7.88 ft | 0 |
| Dick Creek at Old Atlanta Road near Suwanee | 10.0 | 15.64 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 146 of 1,581 months since 1895 (9%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
The drought index is for Forsyth County, the county that contains Cumming.
146
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
51
Months in extreme drought
9%
Share of all months, severe or worse
39
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1925
−6.32, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
March 2007 to July 2008.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.83, mild 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 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1993; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
August 18, 1993
Magnitude 2.5
2 km NNW of Lakeview Estates, Georgia; 33.7 miles away, 0.0 miles deep.
- 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
497 events in the National Weather Service record for Forsyth County, 455 of them since 1996.
66
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
5
Hail, 2 inches or larger
79
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
48
Winter weather events since 1996
11
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 7, 1998
4.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
July 20, 2023
96 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 36 | 1 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- May 22, 2020Hail$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public reported hail the size of quarters to half dollars near the Polo Golf and Country Club and hail the size of golf balls 1 mile north of Cumming.
- Mar 15, 2012Hail$4.8 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public called to report golf ball size hail fell for over ten minutes between 12:27 AM EDT to 12:39 AM EDT.
- Apr 11, 2013Hail$4.8 million
National Weather Service narrative
Broadcast media and the public reported golf ball sized hail northwest of Cumming.
- Mar 15, 2008Hail$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Several reports of large hail were received from north central and northeast Forsyth county. The public reported two inch-diameter hail two miles south of Chestatee and penny to quarter-sized hail northeast of Cumming near the intersection of Georgia Highway 400 and Georgia Highway 20, and on Georgia Highway 369. Nickel-sized hail was observed just west of Lake Lanier near the intersection of Georgia Highways 53 and 300. Finally, Forsyth County Fire and Rescue Services observed quarter-sized hail near Cumming.
- Jun 12, 2007Hail$2.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
Several reports of large hail were received from the public across the central and southern portions of Forsyth county from Cumming southwest to near the Fulton county line, including Brookwood and Big Creek. Golf ball-sized hail was reported in the Brookwood and Big Creek areas, with penny to nickel-sized hail around Cumming.
- Mar 15, 2008Hail$2.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public reported quarter to golf ball-sized hail across central Forsyth county, particularly in the Cumming area. One report of 2.00 inch diameter hail was received from the public within the city of Cumming.
- Apr 4, 2004Wildfire, Forsyth$2.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Forsyth county Emergency Management Director reported that an outdoor burning incident, fueled by gusty northwest winds at speeds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 30 mph and low relative humidity values in the 15 to 20% range, quickly turned into a ravaging out of control fire that destroyed seven homes and damaged 18 others. Vehicles and other contents within the homes were destroyed as well. Seven firefighters were injured during the incident.
- Feb 26, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Forsyth County Emergency Management Director reported that numerous trees and power lines were down across the southern half of the county. Significant damage to homes was reported in the southern part of the county from near the Fulton county line northeast of Alpharetta to Cumming. Fifteen homes were damaged in this portion of the county, mostly from trees which fell on the structures. Much of the damage was concentrated in the area along Atlanta Highway, Georgia Highway 9 in the southern portion of the county and along Georgia Highway 400 near McFarland Road. The winds blew in the door of a fire station near McFarland Road. A total of 30 homes within the county sustained some damage.
- Apr 10, 2009Hail$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Amateur radio operators relayed a report of golf ball-sized hail in the extreme southeast part of the county near the Gwinnett and Hall county line.
- May 25, 2006Hail$1.8 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public reported penny-sized hail around and on the north and west side of Cumming and golf ball-sized hail on the south side of Cumming.
- 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 Gainesville, 16.9 miles from the city centre, with records from 1891.
- All-time high
- 107°F3 times, most recently Jul 29, 1952
- All-time low
- −8°F2 times, most recently Jan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 82°FAug 4, 1928
- Coldest day
- 9°FFeb 14, 1899
- Wettest day
- 6.60 inOct 2, 2012
- Snowiest day
- 11.0 inMar 3, 1942
- Hottest year
- 1998mean 63.7°F
- Coldest year
- 1968mean 56.7°F
- Wettest year
- 200980.25 in
- Driest year
- 190420.96 in
- Snowiest season
- 18.7 in1959-60
Median first snow
January 12
Earliest: November 12, 1968
Median last snow
January 30
Latest: March 25, 1952
29 of 84 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Gainesville (USC00093621), 1,170 ft elevation, 16.9 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1891 to September 10, 2026; 94.1% 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
18 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.
Declarations for Forsyth County.
| Oct 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657-GA |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-GA |
| Jan 12, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4579-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 |
| Apr 20, 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4215-GA |
| Feb 11, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3368-GA |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Sep 18, 2004 | Hurricane | DR-1554-GA |
| Jan 28, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1311-GA |
| Mar 11, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1209-GA |
| Oct 10, 1995 | Hurricane | DR-1071-GA |
| Mar 15, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3097-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
| Apr 5, 1974 | Tornado | DR-425-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 USC00093621.
- 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.