Gilmer County

Every recorded tornado

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

River crests

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.

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 county boundary (or inside the county).
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

Mapped by USGS Conterminous (2).

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. Sep 16, 2004Flash Flood$2.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Gilmer County Emergency Manager, along with local newspapers and the public, reported extensive, and widespread to catastrophic flooding throughout much of the county. More than a foot of rain fell in parts of Gilmer county in association with the remnants of Hurricane Ivan during a six to eight hour period in the afternoon and evening hours of September 16th. Ten to 12 inches of rain was common across the county. Catastrophic flooding was reported along the Cartecay River, which in some areas exceeded the 500-year flood plain level. Several homes and vehicles were washed away when the river reached these levels. Major flooding was also reported on the Coosawattee River and…

2. Jul 5, 2012Thunderstorm Wind$1.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Gilmer County Emergency Manager reported that at least 50 trees were blown down, mainly along and near Carters Lake. The Carters Lake Marina was also damaged, with the roof of one of the covered docks completely collapsed, and many others had tin sheeting peeled from the roofs. One of the ramps was snapped and boards along the walkways were buckled. Almost a million dollars in damage was done to the marina alone. Numerous boats sustained minor to moderate damage, and some were blown off the lake. Several campers also sustained minor damage; some were blown over and others were damaged when trees fell on them. Gazebos, tents, and awnings were blown away as well. Five- to…

3. Aug 1, 2013Flash Flood$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The stage height of a USGS stream gage on the Cartecay River near East Ellijay reached flood stage of 7 feet. The river crest at 10.2 feet causing significant flooding. The Gilmer County emergency manager indicated around 7 roads were either flooded or damaged in the East Ellijay area by high water from the Cartecay River. Around 25 structures were flooded with some evacuations on White Water Lane, Bernhardt Road, River Lane and Riverside Drive. The East Ellijay Police Chief was injured by electric shock during an evacuation on Riverside Drive. A power line fell on the patrol car as it was passing through the flooded road. He was hospitalized and released a day or two later.

4. Aug 1, 2013Flash Flood$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Gilmer County emergency manager reported a swift water rescue occurred at a home on Avery Drive in the Talona area. Several creeks in southeast Gilmer County such as Clear...Price...Fausett and Turkey Creeks flooded and washed out some roads and a few bridges. Multiple swift water rescues occurred with several evacuations of homes due to rapidly rising flood waters. Around 8 roads were either washed out or damaged...one bridge was washed out at Holt Road...around 25 structures were flooded with some washed off their foundations...8 people needed swift water rescues and 10 people were evacuated from structures. The Mountain Valley Farm Store and two large chicken houses off of…

5. Dec 24, 2015Flash Flood$1.1 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A USGS stream gauge on the Coosawattee River off Legion Road near Ellijay reached flood stage of 8 feet. The river crest at 13.9 feet. Major flooding affected around 45 homes and a few businesses in Ellijay with some evacuations. The Spring Ellijay Plant flooded and portions of the Pilgrims Pride Processing Plant parking lot were under 3 feet of water. The American Legion Post 82 building and the Georgia Power Substation next to the Post were flooded with around 3 feet of water. Most of the Harold Hefner River Park was flooded with a few feet of water.

6. Jul 16, 2003Flash Flood$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Gilmer county 911 center, along with the Times Courier of Ellijay, reported that excessive rainfall of three to seven inches in a one to three hour period had resulted in extensive flooding, especially along and near Georgia Highway 52 from Ellijay to Cartecay. Oiltown, Turkey, Clear, and Harris Branch Creeks had all quickly risen well out of their banks flooding out adjacent areas, several roads and bridges, and some homes. Major flooding was also reported on the Coosawattee River as it flows toward Carters Lake. Several people in the area had to be rescued from flood waters. Several roads and bridges in the area were washed out and many had to be closed. At least one home…

7. Apr 4, 2011Tornado$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in conjunction with the Gilmer County Emergency Management Director confirmed that a brief EF1 tornado, sandwiched between two microbursts, had touched down in west central Gilmer county approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Tails Creek or just northeast of Carters Lake and traveled east-northeast 2.6 miles before lifting. The maximum path width was determined to be 1/2 mile wide with maximum winds estimated to be 100 mph. Hundreds of trees were either blown down, uprooted, or snapped along the path of the tornado as it traveled through the Rose Garden subdivision. Approximately 100 homes…

8. Jan 22, 2000Ice Storm, Gilmer$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…

9. May 26, 2011Hail$775,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous reports of large damaging hail from west of Tails Creek to northeast of Cherry Log were received from the Gilmer County Emergency Management Director, the public, and the Gilmer County 911 center. Quarter-sized hail was reported across the western part of the county from Tails Creek to northwest of Ellijay, as well as in Ellijay proper. As the storm moved into the northeast part of the county, the storm intensified producing golf ball to baseball-sized hail from just northeast of Ellijay to Cherry Log. The Gilmer County Emergency Management Director reported that baseball-sized hail caused considerable damage to vehicles along U.S. Highway 76/Georgia Highway 515 between…

10. Apr 4, 2011Tornado$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in conjunction with the Gilmer County Emergency Management Director confirmed that a second EF0 tornado, again in combination with two brief microbursts, touched down approximately two miles north-northeast of Tails Creek almost simultaneously with the EF1 tornado that touched down southeast of Tails Creek. This tornado also had a path width of 1/2 mile with maximum winds estimated to be 80 mph. This EF0 tornado tracked 1.9 miles east-northeast before lifting. Again, several hundred trees were either blown over, uprooted, or snapped along the path of the tornado. The event likely…

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

103°F2 times, most recently Jul 17, 1980

All-time low

−14°FJan 20, 1985

Warmest night

79°FJun 27, 1988

Coldest day

2°FJan 20, 1985

Wettest day

7.41 inSep 17, 2004

Snowiest day

11.5 inFeb 29, 1968

Hottest year

1946mean 61.9°F

Coldest year

1976mean 56.0°F

Wettest year

198980.95 in

Driest year

201029.68 in

Snowiest season

15.3 in1967-68

Station Jasper 1 Nnw (USC00094648), 1,465 ft elevation, 14.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1940 to October 27, 2026; 93.8% 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 USC00094648.
• 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.