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 for Cumming Tornado: 58th percentile. Tropical: 34th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 73th percentile. Hail & wind: 94th percentile. Heat: 56th percentile. Cold: 62th percentile. Winter: 34th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • 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.

Flood insurance claims

66

Forsyth County

$928,000 paid since 1979

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

98

10 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

3

None at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

1

Largest: Sandy Bottoms, 2011

Details

Strongest tornado

F4

March 27, 1994, 49.0 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

TS

Tropical storm Zeta, 2020, 47.3 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

18

Most recent: Hurricane Isaias, 2026

Details

Record high

107°F

Reached 3 times, most recently July 29, 1952

Details

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.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 8 8 1960s: 6 6 1970s: 13 13 1980s: 10 10 1990s: 17 17 2000s: 19 19 2010s: 15 15 2020s: 10 10 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 3 F: 4 M: 13 A: 28 28 M: 11 J: 7 J: 6 A: 5 S: 3 O: 4 N: 7 D: 7 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
May 20, 2025EF02.015000
May 2, 2025EF12.815000
Dec 29, 2024EF00.510000
Dec 29, 2024EF10.310020
Jul 20, 2023EF11.910000
Apr 1, 2023EF02.57500
Dec 29, 2021EF10.510000
Dec 29, 2021EF02.07500
May 4, 2021EF04.735000
Oct 10, 2020EF00.720000
Apr 19, 2019EF12.430000
Apr 19, 2019EF00.615000
May 1, 2017EF02.415000
Apr 3, 2017EF14.635000
Nov 30, 2016EF02.910000
Oct 14, 2014EF17.510000
Oct 14, 2014EF11.210000
Jan 11, 2014EF02.91000
Jun 13, 2013EF112.920000
Jun 13, 2013EF18.57520
Apr 11, 2013EF14.125000
Mar 2, 2012EF11.415000
Sep 5, 2011EF128.444010
Nov 30, 2010EF22.110000
Oct 27, 2010EF00.87500
Apr 19, 2009EF11.588020
Apr 10, 2009EF10.220000
Apr 10, 2009EF13.444000
Aug 26, 2008EF14.810000
Aug 26, 2008EF11.120000
May 20, 2008EF15.91,76040
Feb 26, 2008EF00.12000
Apr 8, 2006F118.020000
Aug 29, 2005F01.02000
Aug 29, 2005F00.912500
Aug 29, 2005F00.55000
Sep 16, 2004F11.040040
Jul 14, 2004F00.15000
Jul 14, 2004F00.25000
May 6, 2003F11.05000
Nov 11, 2002F223.0100130
Jul 23, 2000F10.57000
Apr 3, 2000F14.015000
Apr 3, 2000F17.010000
Apr 8, 1998F219.0800101
Mar 20, 1998F34.010017112
Nov 7, 1996F10.27500
Nov 7, 1996F16.075120
Sep 16, 1996F10.17500
Jun 29, 1994F01.55000
Jun 27, 1994F28.020001
Jun 26, 1994F14.020000
Jun 26, 1994F18.010070
Mar 27, 1994F04.022000
Mar 27, 1994F340.02,613709
Mar 27, 1994F344.02,613453
Mar 27, 1994F449.01,760203
Feb 21, 1993F14.033010
Nov 22, 1992F420.0867460
Apr 27, 1991F00.23030
Feb 10, 1990F11.07300
May 5, 1989F11.0200110
Apr 4, 1989F29.010000
Apr 4, 1989F23.35000
Mar 19, 1986F25.7300150
Apr 5, 1985F23.010000
Nov 10, 1984F21.512780
May 7, 1984F18.03300
Dec 3, 1983F12.510000
Jan 4, 1982F10.12000
Apr 27, 1980F14.510010
Mar 23, 1979F11.520000
Jul 23, 1978F10.15000
Apr 4, 1977F15.240010
May 28, 1976F21.05000
Mar 24, 1975F314.85001523
Mar 13, 1975F19.610020
Mar 7, 1975F10.33300
Apr 8, 1974F11.030080
Apr 3, 1974F417.7200306
Dec 13, 1973F39.5200210
Apr 23, 1971F10.13300
Apr 2, 1970F36.55000
Jan 29, 1970F20.53300
May 16, 1969F10.55000
Apr 26, 1965F20.53300
Apr 15, 1965F211.53300
Apr 11, 1962F21.010000
Mar 21, 1962F310.03300
May 25, 1961F16.11700
Jul 11, 1959F00.15060
Feb 10, 1959F12.010000
Apr 22, 1958F10.31700
Apr 15, 1956F246.86700
Apr 8, 1954F14.720000
Mar 31, 1954F10.140000
Dec 4, 1953F21.010000
Jun 4, 1950F13.31010
  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.

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

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Helene202455.0Tropical storm52Category 4
Zeta202047.3Tropical storm55Category 3
Eloise197548.4Tropical storm54Category 3
Unnamed194998.0Tropical storm60Category 4
Unnamed193274.2Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed191239.3Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed19077.3Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed19027.3Post-tropical40Category 2
Unnamed190152.9Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed189877.7Tropical storm43Category 4
Unnamed189357.3Tropical storm52Category 4
Unnamed188985.0Tropical storm52Category 2
Unnamed188258.9Tropical storm46Category 3
Unnamed185944.6Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed185285.5Tropical storm46Category 3
  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.

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.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 2011: 594 594 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Sandy Bottoms201120.4594
  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

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.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 3 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 3 2016: 2 2017: 0 2018: 3 2019: 3 2020: 3 2021: 15 2022: 15 2023: 45 45 2024: 5 2025: 7 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  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.

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.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 2009: 10 2013: 14 14 2015: 7 2020: 10 2009
Claims per year since 1979. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

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

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
3004123$372,000
3004019$67,000
300246$371,000
300975$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.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Oct 11, 2020Dick Creek at Old Atlanta Road near Suwanee15.64+5.64Moderate
Sep 22, 2009Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming10.43+4.43Minor
Aug 1, 2013Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming9.15+3.15Minor
Oct 11, 2020Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming9.02+3.02Minor
Jan 4, 2015Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.86+2.86Minor
Jan 4, 2023Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.84+2.84Minor
Feb 6, 2020Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.80+2.80Minor
May 19, 2013Dick Creek at Old Atlanta Road near Suwanee12.80+2.80Minor
Apr 7, 2014Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.76+2.76Minor
Nov 13, 2018Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.54+2.54Minor
Jan 9, 2024Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.52+2.52Minor
Sep 27, 2024Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.47+2.47Minor
Dec 23, 2013Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.46+2.46Minor
Dec 28, 2018Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.39+2.39Minor
Jul 3, 2015Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.37+2.37Minor
Nov 2, 2015Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.36+2.36Minor
Aug 19, 2013Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.33+2.33Minor
Apr 19, 2019Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.32+2.32Minor
Aug 7, 2013Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.28+2.28Minor
May 19, 2013Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.24+2.24Minor
Feb 13, 2025Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.19+2.19Minor
Nov 19, 2015Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.14+2.14Minor
Jul 17, 2010Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.14+2.14Minor
May 5, 2013Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.13+2.13Minor
Mar 9, 2011Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming8.12+2.12Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Big Creek at GA 9 near Cumming6.010.43 ftSep 22, 20090
Chattahoochee River at 0.76 mile upstream McGinnis Ferry near Suwanee22.0——0
Chattahoochee River at Buford Dam near Buford12.07.88 ftOct 22, 19710
Dick Creek at Old Atlanta Road near Suwanee10.015.64 ftOct 11, 20200
  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.

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.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 7 1897: 6 1898: 6 1899: 0 1900: 1 1901: 0 1902: 2 1903: 0 1904: 8 1905: 4 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 5 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 9 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 7 1926: 4 1927: 9 1928: 2 1929: 0 1930: 4 1931: 10 10 1932: 0 1933: 2 1934: 4 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 1 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 2 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 4 1955: 1 1956: 1 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 6 1987: 0 1988: 5 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 1 2000: 5 2001: 0 2002: 1 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 1 2007: 10 2008: 7 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 1 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 6 2017: 3 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  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.

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.

  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.

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

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning3617Jul 13, 2017
Dense fog and smoke100Jan 30, 2002

Costliest events since 1996

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Apr 11, 2013Hail$4.8 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Broadcast media and the public reported golf ball sized hail northwest of Cumming.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  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.

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
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Gainesville 32°F 52° 32° 5.3 Jan 56° 35° 5.1 Feb 64° 41° 5.2 Mar 72° 48° 4.1 Apr 78° 57° 4.5 May 85° 65° 4.4 Jun 88° 69° 4.4 Jul 87° 68° 4.6 Aug 81° 62° 4.5 Sep 72° 51° 3.7 Oct 63° 41° 3.9 Nov 54° 35° 5.2 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1976: 73 1977: 77 1978: 76 1979: 62 1980: 69 1981: 75 1982: 51 1983: 64 1984: 60 1985: 55 1986: 55 1987: 52 1988: 66 1989: 58 1990: 34 1991: 42 1992: 43 1993: 49 1994: 41 1995: 54 1996: 62 1997: 38 1998: 28 1999: 46 2000: 60 2001: 50 2002: 75 2003: 60 2004: 68 2006: 57 2007: 57 2008: 75 2009: 59 2010: 81 81 2011: 52 2012: 39 2016: 51 2017: 43 2018: 53 2019: 42 2020: 37 2021: 51 2022: 56 2023: 42 2024: 54 2025: 56 19761986199620072020
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 53.5.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 4.0 in 1977: 0.0 in 1978: 0.0 in 1979: 4.1 in 1980: 0.0 in 1981: 5.0 in 1982: 4.5 in 1983: 0.0 in 1985: 0.0 in 1986: 8.0 in 8.0 1987: 6.0 in 1988: 0.0 in 1989: 0.0 in 1990: 4.0 in 1991: 0.5 in 1992: 6.5 in 1993: 0.0 in 1994: 0.0 in 1995: 3.5 in 1996: 1.0 in 1997: 1.5 in 1998: 2.0 in 1999: 0.0 in 2000: 3.5 in 2001: 4.0 in 2002: 1.0 in 2003: 2.5 in 2005: 0.0 in 2006: 0.0 in 2007: 2.0 in 2008: 0.0 in 2009: 6.5 in 2016: 0.4 in 2017: 5.0 in 2018: 0.0 in 2019: 4.0 in 2020: 2.0 in 2021: 4.0 in 2022: 0.1 in 2023: 0.0 in 2025: 2.5 in 19761987199720082025
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

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.

Federal disaster declarations
Oct 9, 2026Tropical StormHurricane IsaiasEmergencyEM-3657-GA
Jan 24, 2026Winter StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3642-GA
Sep 26, 2024Tropical StormHurricane HeleneEmergencyEM-3616-GA
Jan 12, 2021HurricaneTropical Storm ZetaMajor disasterDR-4579-GA
Mar 29, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4501-GA
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3464-GA
Sep 15, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaMajor disasterDR-4338-GA
Sep 8, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaEmergencyEM-3387-GA
Apr 20, 2015Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4215-GA
Feb 11, 2014Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3368-GA
Sep 5, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3218-GA
Sep 18, 2004HurricaneHurricane IvanMajor disasterDR-1554-GA
Jan 28, 2000Severe StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-1311-GA
Mar 11, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1209-GA
Oct 10, 1995HurricaneHurricane OpalMajor disasterDR-1071-GA
Mar 15, 1993SnowstormSevere Snowfall, Winter StormEmergencyEM-3097-GA
Jul 20, 1977DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3044-GA
Apr 5, 1974TornadoTornadoesMajor disasterDR-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.