Henry County
Population 264,922 (2025) 319 sq mi
Henry County has recorded 24 tornadoes since 1950, 24th most of 159 counties in Georgia; the most recent was on May 29, 2025.
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 195024
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger23
At a glance
The record for Henry County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
11
108th of 159 in Georgia
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsStrongest tornado
F3
December 24, 1964, 75.4 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Helene, 2024, 45.7 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 3.2 years since 1950, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
December 24, 1964
F3, 75.4 mile path
400 yards wide.
Deadliest
April 27, 2011
2 killed, EF3
0 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Thursday, May 29, 2025
EF2, 1.8 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 29, 2025 | EF2 | 1.8 | 2 | 0 |
| May 21, 2025 | EF1 | 10.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2025 | EF0 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2025 | EF1 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 2023 | EF3 | 31.2 | 18 | 0 |
| Feb 12, 2019 | EF0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2017 | EF0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 2013 | EF0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 21.7 | 0 | 2 |
| Nov 30, 2010 | EF0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2, 2006 | F1 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 4, 2005 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2005 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2005 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2005 | F2 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | F1 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 10.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2, 1977 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1969 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 22, 1968 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 24, 1964 | F3 | 75.4 | 1 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Henry 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
11 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
45.7 miles at closest approach, winds near 63 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
45.7 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 45.7 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 66.8 | Tropical storm |
| Michael | 2018 | 59.5 | Tropical storm |
| Eloise | 1975 | 55.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 49.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 72.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 95.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 94.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1917 | 94.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 37.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 9.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 22.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 81.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 20.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 21.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 68.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 26.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 41.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 24.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 2.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 34.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 74.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 12.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 89.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 88.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 25.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 82.4 | 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 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
10.6 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
10 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 34 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
78 federal flood insurance claims since 1980, with $1.2 million paid.
Most claims in one year
2024: 16 claims
$593,000 paid.
2nd most
2019: 10 claims
$188,000 paid.
3rd most
2015: 7 claims
$43,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 30253 | 26 | $274,000 |
| 30281 | 21 | $210,000 |
| 30252 | 13 | $278,000 |
| 30248 | 7 | $124,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood5
- Flood5
- Heavy Rain5
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 28, 2024
South River at GA 81 at Snapping Shoals, 16.41 ft
4.41 feet above the 12.0 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
September 28, 2024
South River at GA 81 at Snapping Shoals, 16.41 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Pates Creek near Flippen | 12.0 | 16.20 ft | 0 |
| South River at GA 81 at Snapping Shoals | 12.0 | 16.41 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 151 of 1,581 months since 1895 (10%); the longest spell lasted 16 months.
151
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
40
Months in extreme drought
10%
Share of all months, severe or worse
36
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1925
−6.82, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
16 months
April 2007 to July 2008.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.12, 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
1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.5 in 1914.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
4
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
1
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
March 5, 1914
Magnitude 4.5
Near Madison, Georgia; 24.6 miles away.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
April 4, 2009
Magnitude 3.1
15 km N of Milledgeville, Georgia; 44.7 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Mar 5, 1914 | 4.5 | 24.6 |
- 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
449 events in the National Weather Service record, 392 of them since 1996.
64
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
86
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
22
Winter weather events since 1996
12
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
March 18, 2013
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
September 7, 2014
75 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 13 | 1 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Jul 6, 2005Tornado$70.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A National Weather Service damage survey confirmed an F2 tornado, the strongest tornado of the evening associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy, touched down just a few hundred yards south of McDonough Street at the Atlanta Motor Speedway then traveled north-northwest passing just east of Lovejoy in Clayton county, then across the Edgar Blalock Raw Water Reservation, at which point it turned northwest and finally passed into Clayton county before lifting near Jodeco Road. The tornado center line crossed the western bank of the race track then across Tara Field just west of the race track. Damages to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, including several condominiums at the…
- Mar 18, 2013Hail$9.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Henry County Emergency Manager, current and former National Weather Service Employees, and the public reported quarter to baseball sized hail in the second of two significant hailstorms across Henry County.
- Mar 18, 2013Hail$9.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
Ham radio operators, spotters, and current and former National Weather Service employees reported golfball to baseball sized hail in Henry County in the first of two significant hailstorms to move through during the 6 PM hour.
- Mar 18, 2013Hail$2.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public reported golfball size hail in McDonough.
- Apr 4, 2011Hail$2.3 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public observed golf ball-sized hail near Hampton. WSR-88D radar data suggests that golf ball-sized hail was more likely observed near Luella and Locust Grove, with quarter-sized hail near Hampton.
- Jun 12, 2007Hail$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
Nearly two dozen reports of large hail were received from the public across Henry county. Quarter-sized hail reports were common from the McDonough and Stockbridge areas and other areas in the northern part of the county. Quarter to golf ball-sized hail fell in Locust Grove and McDonough. In McDonough, along Georgia Highway 155, hail covered the ground over one inch deep and a chain link fence was said to have been dented and damaged from the large hail.
- May 20, 2008Hail$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The public observed quarter to golf ball-sized hail in the McDonough area. Radar supported that hail of at least quarter-size fell across much of central and east central Henry county.
- Feb 18, 2009Hail$1.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
Several reports of large hail were received from the Henry County Emergency Management Director and the public in a swath across southern Henry county extending from just northwest of Hampton to southeast of Ola. Hail was reported to be the size of quarters near Hampton and quarters to golf balls from southwest of McDonough to southeast of Ola. Nickel sized-hail was reported when the storm first entered the northwest part of the county near Interstate-75 and Jodoco Road.
- Mar 28, 2009Hail$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Several reports of large hail were received from the public across southeast Henry county. This was one of two severe thunderstorms to track across the county in the 400 pm to 430 pm EDT time frame. Penny to golf ball-sized hail was reported near Locust Grove with quarter-sized hail near Ola as the storm moved further northeast.
- Jan 22, 2000Ice Storm, Henry$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…
- 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 Atlanta Hartsfield-jackson Int, 18.9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1930.
- All-time high
- 106°FJun 30, 2012
- All-time low
- −8°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 82°FAug 8, 2007
- Coldest day
- 15°F2 times, most recently Jan 30, 1966
- Wettest day
- 6.68 inOct 4, 1995
- Snowiest day
- 8.3 inJan 23, 1940
- Hottest year
- 2019mean 66.2°F
- Coldest year
- 1976mean 59.1°F
- Wettest year
- 194871.45 in
- Driest year
- 195431.80 in
- Snowiest season
- 10.9 in1935-36
Median first snow
January 17
Earliest: November 11, 1968
Median last snow
February 1
Latest: March 24, 1983
25 of 86 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Atlanta Hartsfield-jackson Int (USW00013874), 1,011 ft elevation, 18.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1930 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% 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
17 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 |
| Jan 16, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4685-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 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Jan 28, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1311-GA |
| Mar 11, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1209-GA |
| Jul 7, 1994 | Tornado | DR-1033-GA |
| Mar 15, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3097-GA |
| Feb 23, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-857-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
| Apr 4, 1973 | Tornado | DR-370-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 Henry County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 24 | 24 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 3 | 11 / 159 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 11 | 108 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 78 | 33 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $1.2 million | 45 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 17 | 86 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 15 | 97 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 255 | 32 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 22 | 49 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $106 million | 15 / 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 | 151 | 26 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 10.6 | 19 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 1 | 37 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Butts County | 10 | 11 |
| Clayton County | 13 | 10 |
| DeKalb County | 16 | 8 |
| Newton County | 18 | 10 |
| Rockdale County | 8 | 9 |
| Spalding County | 25 | 10 |
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 USW00013874.
- 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.