Calhoun County
Population 5,413 (2025) 280 sq mi
31 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Calhoun County since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was Michael in 2018 (Category 1).
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195014
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger70
At a glance
The record for Calhoun County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Strongest tornado
F2
April 30, 1971, 21.8 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane Michael, 2018, 0.0 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 5.4 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 30, 1971
F2, 21.8 mile path
100 yards wide.
Deadliest
January 13, 2005
2 killed, F1
5 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
EF2, 21.7 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF2 | 21.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF2 | 12.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 2, 2017 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2016 | EF2 | 15.8 | 5 | 0 |
| Nov 2, 2015 | EF0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 14, 2007 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 13, 2005 | F1 | 3.0 | 5 | 2 |
| Sep 15, 2004 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 19, 1974 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 20, 1974 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 26, 1973 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 1971 | F2 | 21.8 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 7, 1958 | F1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Nov 8, 1957 | F1 | 25.7 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Calhoun County: 0.
- 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
31 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 6 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 11, 2018
Michael, Category 1
0.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 92 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
66.5 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 66.5 | Category 1 |
| Idalia | 2023 | 96.8 | Category 1 |
| Mindy | 2021 | 71.9 | Tropical storm |
| Fred | 2021 | 34.2 | Tropical storm |
| Elsa | 2021 | 89.3 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 21.2 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Irma | 2017 | 14.1 | Tropical storm |
| Hermine | 2016 | 68.1 | Tropical storm |
| Fay | 2008 | 91.9 | Tropical storm |
| Alberto | 2006 | 87.4 | Tropical storm |
| Jeanne | 2004 | 34.3 | Tropical storm |
| Earl | 1998 | 24.8 | Tropical storm |
| Allison | 1995 | 60.7 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 34.7 | Category 1 |
| Eloise | 1975 | 70.3 | Category 2 |
| Alma | 1966 | 71.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 13.4 | Tropical storm |
| Hilda | 1964 | 43.7 | Post-tropical |
| Dora | 1964 | 6.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1957 | 77.9 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 15.8 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 1953 | 11.6 | Post-tropical |
| King | 1950 | 6.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 89.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 18.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 87.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1937 | 67.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 86.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 76.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 33.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 36.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 19.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 83.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 79.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1917 | 5.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 29.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1914 | 18.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 8.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 37.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 56.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 50.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1903 | 67.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 85.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 78.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 11.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 13.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 56.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 66.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 75.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 93.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 19.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 32.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 84.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 32.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1887 | 52.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 52.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 37.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 79.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 61.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 25.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 26.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 68.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 34.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 40.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 79.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 89.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1868 | 75.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 85.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 6.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 63.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 75.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 8.6 | Category 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
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 36 days
Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2025, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.3 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
8 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 23 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
5 federal flood insurance claims since 1998, with $101,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 31762 | 5 | $101,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood3
- Flood3
- Heavy Rain1
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
Most severe crest
July 6, 1994
Pachitla Creek near Edison, 14.22 ft
6.42 feet above the 7.8 ft flood stage; minor flooding by today’s categories.
River gauges
| Ichawaynochaway Creek near Morgan | 14.0 | 17.07 ft | 0 |
| Pachitla Creek near Edison | 7.8 | 14.22 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 130 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 21 months.
130
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
35
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
41
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
March 1955
−5.35, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
May 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.54, 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
No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more is recorded within 50 miles of the county in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.
Severe weather and other events
152 events in the National Weather Service record, 130 of them since 1996.
5
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
36
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
8
Winter weather events since 1996
3
Heat events since 1996
3
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
March 8, 1998
1.25 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
July 21, 2018
75 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Oct 10, 2018Hurricane (Typhoon), Calhoun$50.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hurricane Michael started as typical weak October Caribbean tropical system. However, after approximately a week of slow development, the system moved into warm Gulf of Mexico waters and rapidly intensified into a major hurricane as it moved north towards the Florida Panhandle. After a 2-day long intensification period over the eastern Gulf, Michael made landfall as an unprecedented (for the region) high-end category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale in the Florida Panhandle with maximum sustained wind speed of 155 mph and a minimum pressure 919 mb. Based on wind, Michael is the fourth most powerful hurricane to hit the United States, behind the Labor Day…
- Sep 10, 2017Tropical Storm, Calhoun$2.0 million
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 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…
- Dec 24, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Straight-line winds destroyed an irrigation system and severely damaged a few homes in Arlington, caused roof and carport damage in Morgan, and downed numerous trees and power lines in Edison and other areas in the northwest portion of the county. Reported by GEMA.
- Jul 11, 2005Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Torrential rainfall of two to four inches in a three-hour period associated with Tropical Storm Dennis' feeder band washed out some county roads. The Calhoun County EMA reported flood water in several homes.
- Jul 9, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Calhoun$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
Hurricane Dennis came ashore along the central Gulf coast on July 10. The lowest sea-level pressure and peak wind gust recorded were 1007.5 mb and 42 mph, respectively, at Albany, GA. Heavy rainfall commenced July 10, and persisted into the early morning hours of July 11. A nearly stationary feeder band from the eastern Florida Panhandle into southwest Georgia produced four to eight inches, with isolated amounts up to a foot. In Colquitt County, flash flooding along the Okapilco Creek in Moultrie damaged many homes, washed out roads, and forced the evacuation of 100 homes. Heavy rains in the upper Flint River basin generated high flows which reached as far south as Bainbridge, GA.…
- Mar 8, 1998Flood, Calhoun$275,000
National Weather Service narrative
An intense Gulf storm produced 5 to 12 inches of rain across much of southwest Georgia on March 7-9 which caused widespread flooding. Baker, Ben Hill, Cook, Colquitt, Dougherty, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Terrell, Decatur, Early, Brooks, Colquitt, Clay, Seminole, Calhoun, Thomas, and Worth counties were declared federal disaster areas. In Ben Hill County, floodwaters claimed the life of a Irwinville man whose vehicle overturned. In Baker County, several homes and businesses were flooded in Newton. 100 residents within the Newton city limits were evacuated. Numerous county and secondary roads were closed. Flooding along the Itchuaway-Nochaway Creek forced additional evacuations at…
- Jul 21, 2018Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous trees were blown down on homes in Arlington. Damage was consistent with winds around 75 mph. Damage cost was estimated.
- Jan 2, 2017Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
An EF0 tornado with max winds near 85 mph touched down along Mercer Ave and lifted near Bray St in the town of Leary. Damage consisted of numerous uprooted trees and minor damage to several roofs. Several outbuildings were also damaged, and numerous power lines and power poles were blown down. Damage cost was estimated.
- Jan 22, 2017Tornado$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched down in Clay County and moved northeast through the northwest corner of Calhoun County and into southern Randolph County. It caused extensive tree damage with nearly every tree in its path snapped through the Clay and Calhoun portions of the track. In addition, it flipped a mobile home in Clay County, injuring one person who was inside. The tornado caused major roof damage in Clay and Calhoun counties removing the roofing structure from two homes. It also caused minor roofing damage to several homes in all three counties. Damage cost was estimated.
- Apr 7, 2016Tornado$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
The combination of dual-polarization radar data and the damage survey show that the tornado initially touched down very close to the Clay/Randolph County line west of US Highway 27. The tornado then continued on a continuous path for nearly 16 miles across much of northwestern Calhoun County. Initial damage northwest of Edison, GA in northwestern Calhoun County was largely limited to downed or snapped trees. As the tornado neared Georgia Highway 216, there was an area of more concentrated damage along Magnolia Road. Two single wide mobile homes were destroyed at this location along with numerous snapped pine trees. Damage in this area was consistent with EF-1 damage or a maximum…
- 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 Albany Sw Georgia Regional Airport, 27.5 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 106°FAug 7, 2007
- All-time low
- 12°FJan 22, 2025
- Warmest night
- 80°F2 times, most recently Aug 9, 2007
- Coldest day
- 30°F2 times, most recently Jan 7, 2014
- Wettest day
- 5.29 inMar 28, 2009
- Snowiest day
- 0.9 inJan 18, 2026
- Hottest year
- 2019mean 70.1°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 65.8°F
- Wettest year
- 194866.72 in
- Driest year
- 201126.79 in
Station Albany Sw Georgia Regional Airport (USW00013869), 191 ft elevation, 27.5 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 85.5% 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
15 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.
| Oct 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-GA |
| Mar 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501-GA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3464-GA |
| Oct 14, 2018 | Hurricane | DR-4400-GA |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3406-GA |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Hurricane | DR-4338-GA |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Hurricane | EM-3387-GA |
| Jan 26, 2017 | Tornado | DR-4297-GA |
| Jan 25, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4294-GA |
| Apr 23, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1833-GA |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Sep 24, 2004 | Hurricane | DR-1560-GA |
| Mar 11, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1209-GA |
| Jul 7, 1994 | Tornado | DR-1033-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.
How this compares
Where Calhoun County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 14 | 68 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 31 | 61 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 6 | 42 / 159 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 5 | 108 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $101,000 | 100 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 15 | 122 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 7 | 144 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 51 | 155 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 8 | 99 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $54.8 million | 25 / 159 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 130 | 73 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 9.3 | 92 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Baker County | 10 | 38 |
| Clay County | 10 | 25 |
| Dougherty County | 19 | 34 |
| Early County | 38 | 41 |
| Randolph County | 16 | 26 |
| Terrell County | 11 | 28 |
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 USW00013869.
- 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.