Jefferson

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.

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 Jackson County, the county that contains Jefferson.

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 Jackson County, the county that contains Jefferson.

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 Jackson County, the county that contains Jefferson.

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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

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 Jackson County.

Mapped by NASA (1).

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 15, 2008Hail$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The public reported tennis ball-sized hail in Nicholson, and quarter-sized hail in the Jefferson area. The Jackson Herald reported that extensive damage to vehicles at two car dealerships was observed. More than 3000 vehicles were damaged at Southeast Toyota and approximately 1600 vehicles were damaged at Wayne Neal Chevrolet, both in Jackson. Damages to these vehicles was estimated at $400,000. The public reported that several vehicles in the Nicholson area were also damaged.

2. Jan 22, 2000Ice Storm, Jackson$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…

3. Apr 5, 2017Hail$739,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A report of 2 inch hail in the Preserve Neighborhood near Jefferson Middle School was received on social media.

4. Apr 20, 2015Hail$646,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Jackson County Emergency Manager reported golf ball size hail on Storey Porter Road.

5. Aug 23, 2013Thunderstorm Wind$600,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Jackson County Emergency Manager estimated 75-80 trees were blown down, mainly in the Jefferson and Arcade area. Ten houses were damaged, most due to falling trees, but a couple had windows blown out due to the strong winds. Multiple power lines were down as well. Most of the damage was along Jett Roberts Road into downtown Jefferson and along Johnson Mill Road in Arcade.

6. Jun 12, 2007Hail$370,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous reports of large hail were received from the public across Jackson county. One piece of baseball-sized hail was observed in Jefferson, but most of the hail was quarter to golf ball-sized. Quarter to golf ball-sized hail was observed north of Commerce in the Banks Crossing area, just north of Commerce, and in Jefferson.

7. Jun 15, 2010Hail$370,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The public observed golf ball-sized hail in northern Jefferson county. Radar data suggests that hail of similar size likely fell across areas from Talmo to just north of Jefferson.

8. Aug 26, 2008Tornado$350,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City and the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down and caused considerable damage in northeast Jackson county. The tornado initially touched down very briefly about three miles east-northeast of Arcade near the Brockton Loop before lifting. Only minor damage to tree limbs was noted in this area. The tornado then touched down again within the city of Commerce and tracked approximately 1.25 miles through the city before lifting before reaching the Banks county line. Approximately 40 trees were uprooted or blown over by the tornado, which caused extensive…

9. Mar 15, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported that one home in the county had major damage and another minor damage when trees fell on the structures. Roofs were also damaged on three businesses, one at the Tanger II Outlet Mall on the Banks county line, one at a convenience store in Dry Pond, and another in Maysville. A number of trees and power lines were blown down throughout the county, including one which fell on a vehicle in Commerce. A number of signs were also damaged from strong thunderstorms winds. Power was out in much of the northern part of the county for several hours.

10. Sep 16, 2004High Wind, Jackson$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    High wind damage, associated with Tropical Storm Ivan, is listed below, in alphabetical order by county for those counties that "high wind" criteria was either met or assumed to be met.Banks: The Banks County News of Homer reported widespread damage to trees and power lines throughout the county. More than 73 trees were uprooted or blown down, and many roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines. One home and an unoccupied camper were damaged when trees fell on them and a power line fell on a vehicle while traveling on a county highway. (Estimated Damage: $250,000)Barrow: The Barrow County News and the Gwinnett Daily Post both reported widespread damage to trees and power…

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

109°FJun 29, 2012

All-time low

−4°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

79°F4 times, most recently Aug 11, 2007

Coldest day

18°FJan 30, 1966

Wettest day

9.93 inJun 4, 1967

Snowiest day

8.7 inMar 24, 1983

Hottest year

2016mean 65.0°F

Coldest year

1968mean 59.7°F

Wettest year

196471.39 in

Driest year

195428.61 in

Snowiest season

10.6 in1982-83

Station Athens Ben Epps Airport (USW00013873), 784 ft elevation, 20.4 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1944 to October 27, 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 Jackson 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 USW00013873.
• 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.