Mitchell County
Population 20,467 (2025) 512 sq mi
51 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Mitchell County since 1851, 9 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was Helene in 2024 (Category 2).
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 195029
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger86
At a glance
The record for Mitchell County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Strongest tornado
F3
March 20, 2003, 25.0 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 2
Hurricane Helene, 2024, 35.5 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 2.6 years since 1950, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
March 20, 2003
F3, 25.0 mile path
600 yards wide; 6 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
February 13, 2000
11 killed, F3
175 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Sunday, March 16, 2025
EF1, 5.3 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Mar 16, 2025 | EF1 | 5.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2022 | EF1 | 8.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2020 | EF1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 2020 | EF2 | 8.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2, 2017 | EF1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF2 | 30.5 | 3 | 6 |
| Dec 28, 2005 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 22, 2005 | F1 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 20, 2003 | F3 | 25.0 | 200 | 6 |
| Feb 16, 2003 | F1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 29, 2002 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 15.0 | 15 | 7 |
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | 9.2 | 175 | 11 |
| Sep 29, 1998 | F1 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1989 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 5, 1984 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | 168.5 | 33 | 1 |
| Apr 8, 1974 | F1 | 92.6 | 7 | 1 |
| May 8, 1972 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2, 1972 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 13, 1972 | F2 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 1971 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | F2 | 217.8 | 30 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 1968 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 6, 1963 | F2 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 26, 1963 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1960 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 22, 1952 | F2 | 8.7 | 8 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Mitchell County: 17.
- 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
51 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 9 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 2
35.5 miles at closest approach, winds near 109 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 2
35.5 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 35.5 | Category 2 |
| Debby | 2024 | 75.8 | Tropical storm |
| Idalia | 2023 | 63.6 | Category 1 |
| Mindy | 2021 | 40.4 | Tropical storm |
| Fred | 2021 | 52.9 | Tropical storm |
| Elsa | 2021 | 56.1 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 13.2 | Category 2 |
| Irma | 2017 | 4.1 | Tropical storm |
| Hermine | 2016 | 33.0 | Tropical storm |
| Colin | 2016 | 86.2 | Tropical storm |
| Fay | 2008 | 84.2 | Tropical storm |
| Alberto | 2006 | 53.4 | Tropical storm |
| Jeanne | 2004 | 6.1 | Tropical storm |
| Frances | 2004 | 8.2 | Tropical storm |
| Gordon | 2000 | 93.0 | Tropical storm |
| Earl | 1998 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Josephine | 1996 | 66.9 | Tropical storm |
| Allison | 1995 | 25.7 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 1.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1976 | 72.5 | Subtropical storm |
| Eloise | 1975 | 95.3 | Category 2 |
| Alma | 1966 | 36.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 48.5 | Tropical storm |
| Hilda | 1964 | 17.5 | Post-tropical |
| Dora | 1964 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Brenda | 1960 | 83.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1957 | 43.7 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 1953 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Love | 1950 | 76.7 | Tropical storm |
| King | 1950 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 65.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 26.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 85.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1937 | 53.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 54.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 43.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 71.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 4.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 43.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 11.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 48.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 46.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1917 | 33.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 49.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1914 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 6.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 25.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 66.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1903 | 81.8 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 46.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 43.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 59.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 58.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 85.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 84.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 53.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 8.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 73.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 66.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 88.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1887 | 86.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 17.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 10.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 81.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 49.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 30.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 91.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 60.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 38.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1880 | 86.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1880 | 93.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 35.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 6.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 10.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 44.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 54.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1868 | 43.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 11.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 8.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 29.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 5.7 | 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: 35 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.4 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
7 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 24 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
100 federal flood insurance claims since 1983, with $2.1 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1994: 22 claims
$634,000 paid.
2nd most
1998: 21 claims
$792,000 paid.
3rd most
2009: 15 claims
$245,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 31730 | 77 | $1.6 million |
| 31716 | 15 | $326,000 |
| 31705 | 6 | $154,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood30
- Flood7
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 118 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 21 months.
118
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
37
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
47
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 2000
−5.88, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
May 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−4.19, extreme drought
- 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
391 events in the National Weather Service record, 330 of them since 1996.
22
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
161
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
3
Winter weather events since 1996
4
Heat events since 1996
3
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
December 28, 2005
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
January 4, 2015
75 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 7 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Oct 10, 2018Hurricane (Typhoon), Mitchell$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…
- Feb 13, 2000Tornado$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A strong tornado tore through two major subdivisions and four mobile home parks just south of Camilla after touching down just east of Branchville. Damage assessments from the American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency reported 200 homes destroyed and 250 homes were damaged. Two miles south of Camilla on GA Highway 112, a large trailer manufacturing plant was destroyed. Eleven fatalities were confirmed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, all of which resided in mobile homes. Approximately 175 persons were injured. The American Red Cross and Salvation Army opened several shelters for the homeless. Hundreds of acres of pecan trees were uprooted, pine trees…
- Mar 20, 2003Tornado$6.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
An F2 tornado touched down near Branchville, and traveled northeast. Its path was similar to the February 14, 2000 tornado. The tornado intensified to F3 as it passed just south of Camilla, then weakened as it neared the Mitchell-Worth County line. The tornado destroyed 66 homes, and damaged 200 homes and businesses. Numerous trees and power lines were down. At least three dozen roads were closed by debris. The tornado claimed four lives and injured 200. The hardest hit area was in the Goodson Road area of Camilla. A state of emergency was declared for Mitchell County. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA and CAP/NWS aerial survey team.
- Mar 2, 2007Tornado$2.3 million
National Weather Service narrative
The EF-2 tornado moved northeast from Baker County into Mitchell County just west of Baconton. GEMA and FEMA assessed 26 minor damaged homes, 25 major damaged homes, and two destroyed homes. Thirteen businesses sustained minor losses. Most of the damage occurred just north of Baconton on Gravel Hill Road in the Pleasant Grove community. Over 200 acres of pecan trees were uprooted. The tornado flipped over a semi on U.S. Highway 19 about four miles north of Baconton then crossed into southeastern Dougherty County. A state of emergency was declared by the Governor.
- Feb 14, 2000Tornado$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A strong tornado tracked northeast from extreme northwest Thomas County into extreme southeastMitchell County. Numerous homes were damaged as well as downed trees and power lines. One man died from injuries sustained when the tornado destroyed his mobile home and neighboring woodframe home two miles north of Meigs. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA.
- Sep 29, 1998Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
An F1 tornado struck Camilla on Mt. Zion Rd and GA 37 uprooting large pines, damaging a residence and farm machinery, and destroying a shed. A man was injured when his pickup truck was blown off GA 262. The tornado toppled numerous pecan trees as it travelled north of Camilla along U.S. 19.
- Feb 16, 2003Tornado$350,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado which initially touched down just south of the Grady-Mitchell county line, continued northeast, and lifted just north of County Road 262. The worst damage occurred from Wade Road to County Road 262. It destroyed three mobile homes and severely damaged three frame homes. Several mobile homes and a few frame homes sustained minor damage. The tornado toppled numerous trees and some power lines. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA.
- Mar 16, 2025Tornado$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds estimated at 105 mph. The tornado began south of Highway 37 in an open field between Rigsby Lake and Antioch Road, where it snapped and uprooted a few hardwood trees, and also bent a portion of a center-pivot irrigation apparatus. It then moved quickly northeast and crossed Highway 37 into Pebble City, where it destroyed two structures: A tin volunteer fire department building, and a community/voting center, which collapsed onto itself when the supporting cinder blocks gave way. The tornado also snapped numerous softwood trees behind both of these structures. As it raced northeastward towards Sale City Road, the tornado snapped more…
- Jul 9, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Mitchell$250,000
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.…
- Feb 13, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Mitchell County EMA reported 15 homes damaged.
- 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 Camilla 3SE, 0.9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1893.
- All-time high
- 107°FJul 25, 1983
- All-time low
- 2°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 85°F4 times, most recently Jul 30, 1893
- Coldest day
- 26°FJan 21, 1985
- Wettest day
- 6.75 inDec 6, 2016
- Snowiest day
- 3.0 inFeb 10, 1973
- Hottest year
- 1990mean 70.7°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 63.1°F
- Wettest year
- 196474.05 in
- Driest year
- 199932.10 in
- Snowiest season
- 3.0 in1972-73
73 of 76 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Camilla 3SE (USC00091500), 197 ft elevation, 0.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1893 to September 29, 2026; 95.2% 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
19 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.
| Oct 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657-GA |
| Sep 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-GA |
| Aug 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3607-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 25, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4294-GA |
| Apr 23, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1833-GA |
| Mar 3, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1686-GA |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Feb 15, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1315-GA |
| Mar 11, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1209-GA |
| Jul 7, 1994 | Tornado | DR-1033-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
| Apr 5, 1974 | Tornado | DR-425-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 Mitchell County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 29 | 13 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 3 | 11 / 159 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 51 | 31 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 9 | 19 / 159 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 100 | 28 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $2.1 million | 32 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 19 | 52 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 37 | 24 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 209 | 46 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 3 | 148 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $83.5 million | 18 / 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 | 118 | 96 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 9.4 | 82 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Baker County | 10 | 38 |
| Colquitt County | 42 | 51 |
| Decatur County | 29 | 53 |
| Dougherty County | 19 | 34 |
| Grady County | 23 | 50 |
| Thomas County | 20 | 59 |
| Worth County | 38 | 49 |
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 USC00091500.
- 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.