Cobb County
Population 793,345 (2025) 340 sq mi
Cobb County has recorded 34 tornadoes since 1950, 5th most of 159 counties in Georgia; the most recent was on December 29, 2024.
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 195034
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger12
- Major flood years since 19785
At a glance
The record for Cobb County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
5
134th of 159 in Georgia
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsStrongest tornado
F4
November 22, 1992, 20.0 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Zeta, 2020, 28.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 2.2 years since 1950, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
November 22, 1992
F4, 20.0 mile path
867 yards wide.
Deadliest
April 3, 1974
1 killed, F2
20 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Sunday, December 29, 2024
EF1, 0.3 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Dec 29, 2024 | EF1 | 0.3 | 2 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 11, 2020 | EF0 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 30, 2016 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 14, 2014 | EF1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 2013 | EF1 | 12.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 26, 2008 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2006 | F1 | 18.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2006 | F0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1998 | F2 | 3.5 | 4 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1995 | F1 | 0.1 | 4 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F2 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F0 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F3 | 8.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F4 | 20.0 | 46 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 29, 1991 | F3 | 5.0 | 25 | 0 |
| Feb 10, 1990 | F2 | 1.3 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 1986 | F2 | 5.7 | 15 | 0 |
| Nov 25, 1979 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 7, 1975 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 23, 1975 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F2 | 65.9 | 20 | 1 |
| Dec 29, 1973 | F1 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 7, 1972 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 1972 | F1 | 3.6 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 1971 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 21, 1958 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1956 | F2 | 46.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1955 | F1 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 4, 1953 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Cobb County: 4.
- 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
5 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 29, 2020
Zeta, Tropical storm
28.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 58 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
69.5 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 69.5 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 28.3 | Tropical storm |
| Opal | 1995 | 70.9 | Tropical storm |
| Eloise | 1975 | 21.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 91.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 55.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 17.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 60.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 34.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 69.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 39.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 76.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 54.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 32.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 60.9 | 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
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 47 days
Heavy smoke on 5 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
10.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
9 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 32 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
2,031 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $66.9 million paid.
Most claims in one year
2009: 723 claims
$45.2 million paid.
2nd most
1982: 172 claims
$1.1 million paid.
3rd most
2005: 147 claims
$3.3 million paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 30067 | 392 | $7.9 million |
| 30339 | 336 | $23.8 million |
| 30066 | 200 | $2.6 million |
| 30106 | 148 | $12.7 million |
| 30068 | 122 | $1.9 million |
| 30127 | 119 | $5.3 million |
| 30062 | 113 | $1.2 million |
| 30080 | 98 | $931,000 |
| 30064 | 78 | $1.1 million |
| 30144 | 74 | $1.4 million |
| 30168 | 61 | $3.1 million |
| 30126 | 56 | $674,000 |
| 30008 | 47 | $496,000 |
| 30101 | 35 | $793,000 |
| 30152 | 33 | $540,000 |
| 30082 | 31 | $461,000 |
| 30075 | 31 | $690,000 |
| 30060 | 26 | $242,000 |
| 5 | $677,000 | |
| 30001 | 5 | $32,000 |
| 30073 | 5 | $26,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood38
- Flood15
- Heavy Rain9
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
September 21, 2009
Sweetwater Creek at Brownsville Road near Powder Springs, 31.45 ft
18.45 feet above the 13.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
September 27, 2024
Chattahoochee River at US 41 at Atlanta, 24.13 ft
Major flooding.
River gauges
- 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 173 of 1,581 months since 1895 (11%); the longest spell lasted 23 months.
173
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
54
Months in extreme drought
11%
Share of all months, severe or worse
42
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1925
−6.22, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
23 months
April 2007 to February 2009.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.92, moderate drought
Last severe month: June 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
9 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1981; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
1
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
September 4, 1981
Magnitude 3.0
13 km SE of LaFayette, Georgia; 45.4 miles away, 1.6 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 4, 1981
Magnitude 3.0
13 km SE of LaFayette, Georgia; 45.4 miles away.
- 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
- 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
760 events in the National Weather Service record, 651 of them since 1996.
134
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
8
Hail, 2 inches or larger
125
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
45
Winter weather events since 1996
11
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 22, 1997
4.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
February 26, 2008
90 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 49 | 3 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 8, 1998Tornado$15.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The same supercell that had tracked from Alabama across Haralson and Paulding counties spawned another tornado in Smyrna. The touchdown was along Windy Hill Road just west of Cobb Parkway where a commercial building sustained heavy damage. A filling station and car dealership less than a block east also sustained heavy damage. There was $500,000 to $750,000 in damage to new cars. Trees over a foot in diameter were snapped or uprooted. In total, 59 buildings were damaged, but no injuries were reported. Aerial and ground surveys by NWS employees showed the path varied from 100 to 200 yards wide with a length of about 3 miles. The tornado crossed just into Fulton county near I-285…
- Sep 21, 2009Flood$12.6 million
National Weather Service narrative
Cobb county emergency management personnel and USGS stream gages confirmed that record to catastrophic flooding continued across much of the county. Hundreds of homes, apartments, businesses, and roads sustained damages from flooding. Many culverts and/or bridges were washed out and several roads were closed. Some of the worst flooding during this event occurred in the Cobb and Douglas county area. Flood waters began to recede after 830 am EDT on the 22nd, but many locations remained in major to record flood through 715 am EDT on the 23rd. Monetary damage from flooding continued to mount, with damage during this time frame exceeding $12.5 million.
- Sep 21, 2009Flood$11.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
Record, and in some cases catastrophic, flooding continued to expand across the northern and western portions of the Atlanta metropolitan area as renewed rounds of showers and thunderstorms with very heavy rain tracked repeatedly over the same areas throughout the day. Portions of hundreds of roads in the county were closed from flooding and washed out bridges and/or culverts. Hundreds of homes, apartments, and businesses sustained significant flood damage. Record flooding was occurring on the Chattahoochee River at Vinings and on Sope Creek near Marietta. Monetary damage during this time frame across Cobb county was estimated to be at least $10,000,000. Total damages for Cobb…
- Jul 11, 2005Flash Flood$6.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Extensive flooding was reported across much of Cobb county and was on par with the flood damage reported in Douglas County. Rainfall across the county averaged 8-10 inches, but some areas received as much as a foot or more of rain from late afternoon on July 10th through the early morning hours of the 11th. Flood levels reached 100-year levels in many areas of the county. One resident even reported that the water reached a 500-year flood level according to flood certification papers they had received. Some parts of the county were under as much as six feet of water. Dozens of homes were flooded with water up to a foot deep in some homes, damaging homes and ruining personal…
- Apr 8, 2006Tornado$6.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA concluded that a second and stronger F1 tornado affected far northern Cobb county and continued eastward into North Fulton county. The tornado touched down in the Noonday community or about seven miles north of Marietta just south of the intersection fo Canton Road/Georgia Highway 5 and Jamerson Road and traveled east a more or less continuous 18-mile long path into North Fulton county. Substantial damage was reported to homes and trees at the tornado's initial touchdown point in the Jamerson subdivision. At least 60 homes in the Jamerson subdivision sustained damage, 10 with major damage and 50 with minor…
- Sep 21, 2009Flood$5.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
Although flash flooding began to subside, extensive flooding was reported across the county and confirmed from several USGS stream gages. Flooding expanded on areas earlier dexperiencing flash flooding. Record flooding was observed along Sweetwater Creek near Powder Springs, Powder Springs Creek, Noses Creek, and numerous other small creeks and tributaries. At least 100 roads across the county were closed, including portions of Interstate 20 and Interstate 285 near Six Flags. Extensive rescue operations were conducted in many areas of the county as motorists found their vehicle submerged in flood waters. At least a dozen people were evacuated in Powder Springs because of rising…
- Feb 21, 2005Hail$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous reports of large hail were received from the public in Acworth, Kennesaw, and Marietta. Golf ball to tennis ball-sized hail was reported in Acworth, golf ball-sized hail in Kennesaw, and nickel to quarter-sized hail in Marietta. Damage was reported to vehicles and residences.
- Apr 19, 2006Hail$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous reports of hail ranging in size from pennies to golf balls were reported across Cobb county from the northwest corner near Acworth to Smyrna in the southeast part. The storm was strongest when it entered the northwest part of the county, then gradually weakened as it moved southeast across the county. Nickel to golf ball-size hail was reported in the Kennesaw area, while only penny-sized hail was reported in the Smyrna area. Car windshields were cracked in the Kennesaw area where golf ball-size hail fell.
- Feb 26, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia and The Weather Channel concluded that a microburst with wind speeds up to 90 mph impacted the northeast part of Cobb county, causing extensive damage to trees, homes, and power lines. Several roads were also blocked. The majority of the damage was concentrated within a 0.3 to 1.0 mile wide path that extended from the Canterbury Woods Country Club north of Marietta eastward to the Fulton county line east of Sandy Plains. The damage continued into north Fulton county near Roswell. Extensive damage to trees and homes was observed in the neighborhoods around the Shallowford Road area.…
- Sep 16, 2004Flood, Cobb$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Rainfall with hurricane Ivan reached 10-12 inches in parts of north Georgia, including the Atlanta metropolitan area. Most of this rain fell within a period of 24 hours or less. Record flooding was reported on many creeks and rivers in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Peachtree Creek, Nancy Creek, and the Chattahoochee River all reached or exceeded record flood stages. Catastrophic flooding resulted. Some of the stages observed during the event include:Peachtree Creek: Crested at 22.2 feet, over 5 feet above the flood stage of 17.0 feet. The previous record high crest was 21.1 feet on March 17, 1990, considered a 100-year flood event. An estimated high water mark of 25.8 feet was…
- 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 Dallas 7 Ne, 11.7 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1957.
- All-time high
- 104°F5 times, most recently Jul 2, 2012
- All-time low
- −12°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 77°F2 times, most recently Aug 17, 2007
- Coldest day
- 8°FJan 21, 1985
- Wettest day
- 8.43 inSep 22, 2009
- Snowiest day
- 15.0 inMar 13, 1993
- Hottest year
- 2016mean 63.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1968mean 57.7°F
- Wettest year
- 200983.36 in
- Driest year
- 195425.52 in
- Snowiest season
- 18.0 in1986-87
Median first snow
January 17
Earliest: November 23, 1975
Median last snow
February 13
Latest: April 15, 2008
15 of 66 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Dallas 7 Ne (USC00092485), 1,028 ft elevation, 11.7 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1957 to October 27, 2026; 97.4% 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
20 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.
| Oct 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657-GA |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-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 |
| Feb 11, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3368-GA |
| Sep 24, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1858-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 |
| Mar 4, 1993 | Tornado | DR-980-GA |
| Dec 1, 1992 | Tornado | DR-969-GA |
| Feb 23, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-857-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
| Mar 14, 1966 | Flood | DR-214-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 Cobb County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 34 | 5 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 3 | 11 / 159 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 5 | 134 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 2,031 | 3 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $66.9 million | 3 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 20 | 31 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 62 | 8 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 445 | 9 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 45 | 25 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $111 million | 13 / 159 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 17 | 6 / 159 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 173 | 7 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 10.2 | 41 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Bartow County | 30 | 2 |
| Cherokee County | 32 | 3 |
| Douglas County | 11 | 6 |
| Fulton County | 40 | 8 |
| Paulding County | 10 | 6 |
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 USC00092485.
- 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.