Monroe County
Population 32,023 (2025) 396 sq mi
Monroe County has recorded 19 tornadoes since 1950, 44th most of 159 counties in Georgia; the most recent was on May 3, 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 195019
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger35
- Major flood years since 19781
At a glance
The record for Monroe County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
13
100th of 159 in Georgia
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsStrongest tornado
EF3
April 27, 2011, 30.8 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Helene, 2024, 35.4 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 4 years since 1950, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 27, 2011
EF3, 30.8 mile path
1,056 yards wide; 2 killed along the whole path.
Most recent
Saturday, May 3, 2025
EF0, 2.5 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 3, 2025 | EF0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 1, 2021 | EF1 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 1, 2021 | EF0 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 5.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2017 | EF1 | 8.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 21, 2017 | EF0 | 8.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 23, 2014 | EF1 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 30.8 | 22 | 2 |
| Jan 7, 2009 | EF0 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 10, 2002 | F0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1998 | F0 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 10.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1983 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 27, 1956 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 16, 1954 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 28, 1952 | F1 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Monroe 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
13 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
35.4 miles at closest approach, winds near 69 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
35.4 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 35.4 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 71.4 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 31.2 | Tropical storm |
| Earl | 1998 | 78.5 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 92.0 | Tropical storm |
| Eloise | 1975 | 81.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 18.2 | Tropical storm |
| Dora | 1964 | 89.6 | Tropical storm |
| Cleo | 1964 | 97.3 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 77.0 | Post-tropical |
| Florence | 1953 | 95.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 56.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 63.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 95.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 88.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 62.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1917 | 62.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 56.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 92.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 32.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 56.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 91.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 54.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 95.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 35.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 11.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 10.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 94.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 9.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 3.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 98.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 48.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 58.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 76.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 81.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 20.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 56.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 96.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 52.1 | 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: 43 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
10.5 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
10 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
61 federal flood insurance claims since 1990, with $3.0 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1994: 25 claims
$2.3 million paid.
2nd most
2015: 7 claims
$111,000 paid.
3rd most
1998: 6 claims
$62,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 31046 | 29 | $1.3 million |
| 31210 | 16 | $1.1 million |
| 31029 | 13 | $535,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood7
- Flash Flood6
- Heavy Rain3
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
December 27, 2015
Ocmulgee River at GA 18 at Dames Ferry, 19.07 ft
3.07 feet above the 16.0 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
September 29, 2024
Ocmulgee River at GA 18 at Dames Ferry, 18.99 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Ocmulgee River at GA 18 at Dames Ferry | 16.0 | 19.07 ft | 0 |
| Towaliga River at GA 83 near Juliette | 16.0 | 19.64 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 125 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 20 months.
125
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
43
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
35
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1925
−6.47, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
20 months
June 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.28, 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
6
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; 28.8 miles away.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
December 6, 2009
Magnitude 3.2
4 km WNW of Deepstep, Georgia; 40.5 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Mar 5, 1914 | 4.5 | 28.8 |
- 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
343 events in the National Weather Service record, 278 of them since 1996.
25
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
70
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
15
Winter weather events since 1996
11
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
October 4, 1979
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 3, 2018
96 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 9 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 13, 2020Tornado$10.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
This tornado is a regeneration from the same storm which caused the Upson County EF-3 tornado to the southwest. This tornado first touched down along Potts Cemetery Road downing a few trees continuing NE crossing Hwy 41 and Ingram Rd snapping and|uprooting a few trees. This portion of the track was rated EF-0. The tornado intensified quickly NE of Hwy 41 into an EF-3 as it approached Goodwyne/Collier Rd. A large 100'x150' metal building and small home were completely destroyed. The metal frame and 3'x3'x3' concrete footers for the building were all pulled from the ground with the building and twisted amongst the wreckage leaving holes in the ground around the concrete slab.…
- Apr 28, 2011Tornado$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City confirmed that the tornado, which originally touched down in far southeast Pike county and continued moving northeast across Lamar county, causing extensive damage and two fatalities there, continued across northern Monroe county before finally moving into extreme southeast Butts county and lifting. The tornado weakened from an EF3 in Lamar county to an EF2 as it crossed northern Monroe county, then to an EF0 as it briefly crossed into Butts county. Within Monroe county the tornado path length was just over 11 miles. The maximum path width continued at 0.6 mile with maximum winds at 140…
- Aug 5, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
An official with the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency reported that an apparent thunderstorm downburst or microburst caused considerable damage throughout the city of Forsyth and along Interstate-75 from mile marker 193 in the northwest part of the county to mile marker 185 just southeast of Forsyth. The damage consisted mainly of downed trees throughout this area, including many throughout the city of Forsyth. Several homes were damaged as a result of the downed trees and several power lines were down as well. Johnstonville Road at mile marker 193 was blocked from downed trees and power lines. Several roads were blocked in two subdivisions in the Forsyth area as a result…
- May 11, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Monroe County 911 Center reported that hundreds of trees were down, especially in the southern part of the county. Three homes sustained minor to moderate damage as a result of the downed trees. Many parts of the county were left without power and some roads were temporarily blocked from downed trees, especially in the vicinity of Georgia Highway 74 and Georgia Highway 42.
- Mar 28, 2009Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Monroe County Emergency Management Director and local newspapers reported that up to five inches of rain fell during a 24-hour period on top of already saturated soils resulting in flooding of area creeks and streams. This caused several roads to be washed out and closed. In all, eights roads were closed as a result of flooding. Most of the damage was the result of washed out culvert or drainage pipes. Chambers Road at the intersection of Juliette Road was washed out by Chambliss Creek and left closed for an extended period of time. Montpelier Springs Road was flooded at the Tobosofkee Creek bridge near Georgia Highway 42 and left closed for several days. Zellner Road at…
- Jan 2, 2006Hail$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Monroe County Emergency Management Director reported golf ball-sized hail across much of the southern part of the county.
- Apr 3, 2017Tornado$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 110 MPH and a maximum path width of 300 yards touched down west of US Highway 41 near Montpelier Road. The tornado traveled northeast crossing Highway 41 near Old Rumble Road snapping or uprooting numerous trees. The tornado widened as it approached Gose Road west of I-75. More than a hundred trees were |snapped or uprooted in a wooded area west of Gose Road. Along Gose Road, numerous homes sustained roof damage from the wind or from falling trees. The tornado continued northeast crossing I-75 where several trees fell onto cars on the interstate and blocked the highway. The interstate was…
- Sep 16, 2004High Wind, Monroe$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
High wind damage, associated with Tropical Storm Ivan, is listed below, in alphabetical order by county for those counties that "high wind" criteria was either met or assumed to be met.Banks: The Banks County News of Homer reported widespread damage to trees and power lines throughout the county. More than 73 trees were uprooted or blown down, and many roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines. One home and an unoccupied camper were damaged when trees fell on them and a power line fell on a vehicle while traveling on a county highway. (Estimated Damage: $250,000)Barrow: The Barrow County News and the Gwinnett Daily Post both reported widespread damage to trees and power…
- Jun 3, 2018Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
A National Weather Service survey team determined that a long-lived multiple microburst event moved from southeastern Lamar County into west central Monroe County with winds as high as 95 mph. The damage path, around 5 miles wide, entered the county along Brent Road near Lee Williamson Road where an amateur weather station recorded a wind gust of 93 mph. Numerous large hardwood trees were uprooted or snapped as the damage path extended east southeast over 12 miles before ending around the intersection of Shi Road and Highway 41 near Bolingbroke. Some of these trees fell on homes or other structures causing considerable damage. Many power lines were downed across this area as well.…
- Aug 24, 2007Lightning$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Forsyth County Emergency Management Director reported that two homes were struck and set on fire by lightning. One of the homes sustained substantial damage. Damage to the other home was less severe, but still significant. Lightning also struck a transformer in the area and left about 5000 residents in the area without power for several hours.
- 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 Macon Middle Ga Regional Airport, 28.3 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 108°F3 times, most recently Jul 1, 2012
- All-time low
- −6°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 79°F8 times, most recently Jul 25, 2010
- Coldest day
- 25°F2 times, most recently Jan 21, 1985
- Wettest day
- 10.25 inJul 5, 1994
- Snowiest day
- 11.0 inFeb 9, 1973
- Hottest year
- 2019mean 67.3°F
- Coldest year
- 1968mean 62.2°F
- Wettest year
- 201372.67 in
- Driest year
- 195426.05 in
- Snowiest season
- 16.5 in1972-73
Median first snow
February 6
Earliest: November 24, 1950
Median last snow
February 8
Latest: March 13, 1993
28 of 47 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Macon Middle Ga Regional Airport (USW00003813), 343 ft elevation, 28.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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
21 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642-GA |
| Sep 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-GA |
| Mar 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501-GA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3464-GA |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3406-GA |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Hurricane | DR-4338-GA |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Hurricane | EM-3387-GA |
| Mar 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4165-GA |
| Feb 11, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3368-GA |
| Apr 29, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1973-GA |
| Apr 23, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1833-GA |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Sep 24, 2004 | Hurricane | DR-1560-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 |
| Dec 1, 1992 | Tornado | DR-969-GA |
| Feb 23, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-857-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 Monroe County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 19 | 44 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 2 | 25 / 159 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 13 | 100 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 61 | 43 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $3.0 million | 26 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 21 | 16 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 16 | 92 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 154 | 83 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 15 | 61 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $20.6 million | 50 / 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 | 125 | 85 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 10.5 | 27 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 1 | 37 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Bibb County | 24 | 20 |
| Butts County | 10 | 11 |
| Crawford County | 14 | 19 |
| Jasper County | 6 | 14 |
| Jones County | 13 | 16 |
| Lamar County | 14 | 12 |
| Upson County | 21 | 14 |
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 USW00003813.
- 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.