Jefferson County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Jefferson County: 0.
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.

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.

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Sep 26, 2024Hurricane (Typhoon), Inland Jefferson$10.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Initial damage estimate is over $2.5 million based off of the Jefferson County Property Appraiser���s Office plus the additional costs of power restoration and debris removal.

2. Aug 30, 2023Tropical Storm, Inland Jefferson$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Widespread downed trees and power lines occurred. Nearly all of the county���s power infrastructure was destroyed. Numerous roads were closed. Nearly 8669 residents, or 100% lost power. Debris was reported on Interstate 10 westbound at mile markers 218, 227, 230, and before 233 and at Exits 217, 225 and 233; and eastbound at the ramp to Exit 225 and at mile marker 235. At least one home suffered major damage and one home suffered minor damage.

3. Aug 22, 2008Tropical Storm, Jefferson$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Rainfall from Fay varied between ten and 20 inches. Numerous trees and power lines were down throughout the county. A few county roads were closed by debris and several dirt roads were washed out. Twenty-one homes were damaged and two were destroyed by fallen trees and flooding.

4. Sep 10, 2017Tropical Storm, Inland Jefferson$900,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Irma brought numerous impacts to the Florida Big Bend, southwest Georgia and southeast Alabama including widespread downed trees and power lines, roads blocked by trees, power outages, and trees on homes. Two people died during the event - one due to a car crash (Liberty County, FL) and another that had a heart attack (Worth County, GA). Two indirect deaths also occurred due to carbon monoxide from a generator (Taylor County, FL). While many counties across the Florida Big Bend and southwest Georgia were impacted, the greatest impacts were across the eastern portion of the area near the I-75 corridor. There were over 6.5 million customers without power in Florida, over…

5. Sep 1, 2016Hurricane (Typhoon), Inland Jefferson$682,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Hermine impacted the Florida big bend in early September with significant storm surge along the coast and strong winds inland which downed numerous trees and power lines, resulting in extended power outages in Tallahassee. The following inundation values (height above mean higher high water) were estimated along the coast. Panama City Beach: 1.71 ft, Panama City Marina: 1.60 ft, Apalachicola: 3.04 ft, Curtis Mill (US-319): 5.29 ft, Spring Creek Entrance: 5.91 ft, Town of Saint Marks: 5.08 ft, Saint Marks Lighthouse: 6.28 ft, Nutall Rise (Aucilla River): 6.07 ft, Econfina River: 7.17 ft, Spring Warrior Creek: 8.57 ft, Jabo Road (Taylor county): 7.94 ft, Keaton Beach: 7.57…

6. Sep 28, 1998Hurricane (Typhoon), Jefferson$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Georges, a Category 2 storm, made landfall near Biloxi, MS early Monday, September 28, 1998. A peak wind gust of 52 knots was measured at the Gulf of Mexico data buoy 85 nautical miles south of Panama City. Georges produced storm surges of 6 to 12 feet along the Florida Panhandle coast and 3 to 5 feet along the Big Bend coast. Torrential rainfall amounts of 12 to 24 inches were common over Southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with 5 to 10 inches over Southwest Georgia and the Big Bend. These rains swelled area rivers, creeks, and streams well above flood stage. Eight people were injured as numerous tornadoes were spawned by the remnants of Tropical Depression…

7. Sep 5, 2004Tropical Storm, Jefferson$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Frances came ashore on the east coast of Florida near Sewall's Point during the early morning hours of September 5. Frances weakened as it crossed the central peninsula, and reemerged over the northeast Gulf of Mexico 24 hours later as a tropical storm. Frances made its second landfall near St. Marks, FL, around mid-afternoon on September 6. A maximum sustained wind of 53 knots was recorded at the USAF C-Tower, 20 miles southeast of Apalachicola, FL. A peak wind gust of 63 knots was recorded at Buoy 42036, 80 miles southeast of Apalachicola. The lowest sea-level pressure was 984.4 mb at Tallahassee, FL. Rainfall from Frances ranged from a half inch at Panama City, FL, to…

8. Sep 26, 2004Tropical Storm, Jefferson$200,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Jeanne made landfall on the east coast of Florida near Stuart on the evening of September 25. Jeanne weakened to a tropical storm over central and northwest Florida on September 26. Maximum sustained winds reached 42 knots at the USAF C-Tower in the northeast Gulf of Mexico. The peak wind gust and lowest sea-level pressure were 54 knots and 982.1 mb, respectively, at Cross City, FL. Rainfall totals varied from 0.89 inches at Apalachicola, FL, to 7.60 inches at Mayo, FL. Storm surges along the northeast Gulf coast ranged from two to four feet. Areal flooding was reported in portions of the eastern Florida Big Bend. Schools and several local businesses were closed on…

9. Jul 9, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Jefferson$200,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Dennis, a Category 3 hurricane, moved inland just east of Gulf Breeze, FL, early Sunday afternoon, July 10. The peak wind gust and lowest sea-level pressure recorded were 67 knots and 979 mb, respectively, at Buoy 42039 located 80 miles south of Panama City, FL. Rainfall totals ranged from 3 to 4 inches in the eastern Florida Panhandle to 6 to 10 inches in the Florida Big Bend. Flooding was reported in southern Leon County where several areas were under 3 to 4 feet of water. Maximum coastal storm surge heights ranged from 4 to 8 feet in Walton, Bay, Gulf, Taylor and Dixie counties to 8 to 12 feet in Franklin, Wakulla and Jefferson counties. Moderate to severe beach erosion was…

10. Jan 28, 2014Winter Storm, Inland Jefferson$150,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The third winter storm to impact the NWS Tallahassee County warning area in five years brought a wintry mix of precipitation to virtually the entire forecast area. The predominant precipitation types were sleet and freezing rain. Total liquid equivalent estimates were estimated to be greater than a quarter inch across portions of most of the Florida Panhandle counties. Several roads were closed, including a large stretch of Interstate 10 in the Florida Panhandle. Most bridges were closed at one point from Tallahassee westward, and during the peak of the event, there was no road access to cross over the Apalachicola River. This led to very large transportation impacts with…

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

105°FJun 15, 2011

All-time low

6°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

81°FJul 15, 1980

Coldest day

28°FJan 21, 1985

Wettest day

8.86 inSep 21, 1969

Snowiest day

2.4 inFeb 12, 1958

Hottest year

2015mean 71.8°F

Coldest year

1979mean 65.5°F

Wettest year

1964104.18 in

Driest year

195430.98 in

Snowiest season

2.8 in1957-58

Station Tallahassee (USW00093805), 177 ft elevation, 27.1 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1940 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USW00093805.
• 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.