Jeff Davis County
Population 15,219 (2025) 331 sq mi
52 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Jeff Davis County since 1851, 4 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was Helene in 2024 (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 19508
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger88
- Wildfire burn scars since 19843
At a glance
The record for Jeff Davis County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
2,192
33rd of 159 in Georgia
3 large fires; the largest was Unnamed, 2000
DetailsTornadoes since 1950
8
126th of 159 in Georgia
Fewer than the typical Georgia county, which has had 13
DetailsStrongest tornado
EF1
December 30, 2021, 11.7 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane Helene, 2024, 23.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 9.5 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
December 30, 2021
EF1, 11.7 mile path
300 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, December 30, 2021
EF1, 11.7 mile path
5 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Dec 30, 2021 | EF1 | 11.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2017 | EF1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 24, 2002 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 22, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 1987 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 20, 1977 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 20, 1963 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Jeff Davis 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
52 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 4 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
23.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 84 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
23.3 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 23.3 | Category 1 |
| Debby | 2024 | 49.1 | Tropical storm |
| Idalia | 2023 | 12.0 | Tropical storm |
| Elsa | 2021 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Eta | 2020 | 89.7 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 22.3 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 60.2 | Tropical storm |
| Irma | 2017 | 63.8 | Tropical storm |
| Julia | 2016 | 65.5 | Tropical storm |
| Hermine | 2016 | 7.3 | Tropical storm |
| Colin | 2016 | 71.4 | Tropical storm |
| Andrea | 2013 | 56.6 | Tropical storm |
| Barry | 2007 | 67.8 | Post-tropical |
| Earl | 1998 | 15.0 | Tropical storm |
| Josephine | 1996 | 48.7 | Post-tropical |
| Chris | 1988 | 88.2 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 1.2 | Tropical storm |
| Isidore | 1984 | 94.4 | Tropical storm |
| David | 1979 | 74.2 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1976 | 85.5 | Subtropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1976 | 55.7 | Subtropical storm |
| Alpha | 1972 | 72.4 | Subtropical storm |
| Abby | 1968 | 25.4 | Tropical storm |
| Alma | 1966 | 16.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 75.5 | Tropical storm |
| Hilda | 1964 | 46.5 | Post-tropical |
| Dora | 1964 | 1.2 | Tropical storm |
| Cleo | 1964 | 56.5 | Tropical storm |
| Brenda | 1960 | 41.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1957 | 14.0 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 15.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1954 | 84.1 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 1953 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| King | 1950 | 55.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 3.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 5.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 50.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1946 | 33.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 83.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 70.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 25.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 30.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 66.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 5.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 91.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 46.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 16.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 24.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 16.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 80.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 8.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1914 | 42.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 25.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1911 | 19.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1910 | 71.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 13.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 33.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 77.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 49.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1900 | 94.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 4.4 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 43.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 50.3 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 92.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 97.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 72.7 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 41.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 92.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 27.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 34.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 15.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 64.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 43.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1884 | 53.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 62.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1880 | 70.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 45.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 16.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 40.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 85.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 25.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 22.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 13.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 23.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1868 | 48.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 34.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1854 | 63.5 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 86.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 40.8 | 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
2,192 acres burned in 3 large fires since 1984, equal to 1.0% of the land.
Largest
July 23, 2000
Unnamed Fire, 1,023 acres
942 acres inside Jeff Davis County.
Most recent
July 23, 2000
Unnamed Fire
1,023 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Unnamed | 2000 | 942 | 1,023 |
| Unnamed | 1999 | 739 | 1,302 |
| Unnamed | 1985 | 509 | 510 |
- 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
Smokiest year
2023: 32 days
Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2025, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
7.8 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
8 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 26 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
11 federal flood insurance claims since 1998, with $48,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 31539 | 11 | $48,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood8
- Heavy Rain7
- Flood6
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
January 22, 1925
Altamaha River near Charlotteville, 29.00 ft
16.00 feet above the 13.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
March 13, 2020
Altamaha River near Charlotteville, 21.09 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Altamaha River near Charlotteville | 13.0 | 29.00 ft | 4 |
| Ocmulgee River at Lumber City | 15.0 | 24.59 ft | 2 |
- 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
28
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
6
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
October 1954
−5.26, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
May 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.68, mild 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
5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1976; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
3
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
June 18, 2022
Magnitude 3.9
7 km E of Stillmore, Georgia; 37.7 miles away, 0.5 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
June 18, 2022
Magnitude 3.9
7 km E of Stillmore, Georgia; 37.7 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
210 events in the National Weather Service record, 191 of them since 1996.
18
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
81
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
9
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
0
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
March 16, 1995
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
January 9, 2024
115 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 6 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Mar 31, 2022Strong Wind, Jeff Davis$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Jeff Davis county's 911 Call center reported a tree fell down across Old Graham road Thursday morning ahead of storms.
- Jul 6, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$80,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous large trees down. Power lines down. Large truck trailer overturned. Concrete block structure destroyed.
- Mar 1, 1998Flood, Jeff Davis$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Total flooding related to El Nino. More than 200 homes damaged. Flooding mainly along the St Mary's, Altamaha, and Satilla Rivers. Some areas also effect with Closed Basin flooding.
- Jul 20, 2015Lightning$20,000
National Weather Service narrative
A lightning fire caused major damage to a home on Towns Creek Road. The cost of damage was unknown but it was estimated for the event to be included in Storm Data.
- Jan 22, 1998Tornado$15,000
National Weather Service narrative
Two sheds were destroyed, with debris carried across both sides of Alma Highway.
- Mar 8, 1998Flash Flood$15,000
- Jun 27, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$15,000
National Weather Service narrative
Roof lifted off a tobacco barn. Large trees were blown down.
- Mar 12, 2026Thunderstorm Wind$10,000
National Weather Service narrative
Reports of trees and powerlines down across the area. Time estimated from radar.
- Sep 29, 1998Flash Flood$10,000
National Weather Service narrative
Rainfall amounts of 5 to 7 inches from the remnants of Hurricane Georges caused the closing of numerous street and road.
- Dec 24, 2002Tornado$5,000
National Weather Service narrative
Brief touchdown. Trees down on power lines with power lines down. Power poles snapped off above ground.
- 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 Alma Bacon County Airport, 22 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1938.
- All-time high
- 105°F2 times, most recently Jun 23, 2022
- All-time low
- −1°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 80°F2 times, most recently Jun 18, 1996
- Coldest day
- 25°F2 times, most recently Jan 21, 1985
- Wettest day
- 7.66 inApr 24, 2021
- Snowiest day
- 4.4 inFeb 10, 1973
- Hottest year
- 1990mean 70.1°F
- Coldest year
- 1940mean 64.1°F
- Wettest year
- 194764.56 in
- Driest year
- 195426.08 in
- Snowiest season
- 5.0 in2024-25
78 of 83 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Alma Bacon County Airport (USW00013870), 191 ft elevation, 22.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1938 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
20 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Helene, September 30, 2024.
| Sep 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-GA |
| Sep 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4821-GA |
| Aug 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3607-GA |
| Sep 7, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4738-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 |
| Oct 6, 2016 | Hurricane | EM-3379-GA |
| Feb 26, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4259-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 |
| Mar 15, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3097-GA |
| Mar 15, 1991 | Flood | DR-897-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-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 Jeff Davis County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 8 | 126 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 52 | 30 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 4 | 55 / 159 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 2,192 | 33 / 159 |
| Flood insurance claims | 11 | 87 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $48,000 | 112 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 20 | 31 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 21 | 68 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 143 | 90 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 9 | 93 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $749,000 | 154 / 159 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 6 | 20 / 159 |
| 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 | 7.8 | 133 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Appling County | 19 | 67 |
| Bacon County | 20 | 60 |
| Coffee County | 29 | 58 |
| Montgomery County | 6 | 46 |
| Telfair County | 13 | 46 |
| Toombs County | 11 | 50 |
| Wheeler County | 9 | 44 |
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 USW00013870.
- 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.