Montgomery County
Population 8,635 (2025) 241 sq mi
46 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Montgomery County since 1851, 4 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1898 (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 19506
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger86
At a glance
The record for Montgomery County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
6
145th of 159 in Georgia
Fewer than the typical Georgia county, which has had 13
DetailsStrongest tornado
EF3
May 11, 2008, 7.7 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane (unnamed), 1898, 23.6 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 13 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 11, 2008
EF3, 7.7 mile path
150 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, May 9, 2024
EF1, 14.7 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| May 9, 2024 | EF1 | 14.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | 7.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1984 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 5, 1972 | F2 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 28, 1966 | F2 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 20, 1963 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Montgomery 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
46 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 4 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 2, 1898
Unnamed storm, Category 1
23.6 miles at closest approach, winds near 84 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
30.2 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 30.2 | Category 1 |
| Debby | 2024 | 58.6 | Tropical storm |
| Idalia | 2023 | 22.8 | Tropical storm |
| Elsa | 2021 | 5.1 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 10.6 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 46.8 | Tropical storm |
| Irma | 2017 | 89.3 | Tropical storm |
| Julia | 2016 | 73.3 | Tropical storm |
| Hermine | 2016 | 19.7 | Tropical storm |
| Colin | 2016 | 81.8 | Tropical storm |
| Andrea | 2013 | 65.9 | Tropical storm |
| Barry | 2007 | 74.0 | Post-tropical |
| Tammy | 2005 | 48.0 | Tropical storm |
| Earl | 1998 | 2.3 | Tropical storm |
| Josephine | 1996 | 56.8 | Post-tropical |
| Chris | 1988 | 81.2 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| David | 1979 | 75.5 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1976 | 90.5 | Subtropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1976 | 71.7 | Subtropical storm |
| Alpha | 1972 | 91.0 | Subtropical storm |
| Alma | 1970 | 51.0 | Tropical storm |
| Alma | 1966 | 30.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 56.2 | Tropical storm |
| Hilda | 1964 | 65.7 | Post-tropical |
| Dora | 1964 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Cleo | 1964 | 43.5 | Tropical storm |
| Brenda | 1960 | 50.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1957 | 26.6 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1954 | 87.7 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 1953 | 12.8 | Post-tropical |
| King | 1950 | 81.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 10.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 19.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 56.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1946 | 38.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 88.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 75.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 3.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 3.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 82.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 3.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 97.5 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 72.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 24.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 37.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1919 | 37.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 35.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 88.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 12.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1914 | 64.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 45.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1911 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1910 | 82.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 23.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 49.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 78.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 25.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 23.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 17.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 60.0 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 80.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 2.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 99.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 95.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 71.6 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 53.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 72.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 34.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 2.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 27.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 22.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 82.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 60.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 76.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 93.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 2.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1880 | 84.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 63.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 3.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 59.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 93.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 37.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 44.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 24.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 44.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1868 | 63.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 9.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 12.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1854 | 54.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 61.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 24.3 | 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: 37 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
8.4 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
32 federal flood insurance claims since 1980, with $461,000 paid.
Most claims in one year
2020: 7 claims
$129,000 paid.
2nd most
2009: 6 claims
$87,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 30473 | 28 | $342,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood6
- Flash Flood4
- 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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 146 of 1,581 months since 1895 (9%); the longest spell lasted 14 months.
146
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
23
Months in extreme drought
9%
Share of all months, severe or worse
26
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
October 1954
−4.83, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
14 months
June 2011 to July 2012.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.02, 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
5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1976; none reached magnitude 4.
1
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; 17.1 miles away, 0.5 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
June 18, 2022
Magnitude 3.9
7 km E of Stillmore, Georgia; 17.1 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
187 events in the National Weather Service record, 164 of them since 1996.
11
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
30
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
4
Winter weather events since 1996
11
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 5, 2012
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 6, 2022
70 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 6, 2004High Wind, Montgomery$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
High wind damage, associated with Tropical Storm Frances, is listed below, in alphabetical order by county for those counties that "high wind" criteria was either met or assumed to be met.Baldwin: The Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported that extensive and widespread wind damage was observed. Many trees and power lines were down throughout the county and many parts of the county were expected to be without power for up to four days as a result. In addition, four homes suffered major damage and five suffered minor damage. One man was injured and taken to a local hospital when a tree fell on his mobile home. Four to five inches of rain was also reported throughout the…
- Dec 25, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Montgomery County Emergency Management Director reported that extensive wind damage occurred across the northern part of the county. The most significant damage was observed in the Kibbee area in the far northern part of the county. Here, a trailer was removed from its foundation, the foundation blocks of which poked holes in the trailer's floor. Nearby, a site-built home was damaged on Bear Creek Road, resulting in the injury, possibly in the form of a broken leg, to a female. Near Tarrytown, several aluminum carports were picked up by the strong winds and thrown onto homes. Just south of Tarrytown, a 30 by 25 foot barn was destroyed. Minor roof damage was also reported to a…
- Jun 5, 2012Hail$66,000
National Weather Service narrative
Amateur Radio operators and the public reported golf ball sized hail east of Mount Vernon.
- May 18, 2014Hail$66,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Montgomery County 911 Center reported that large quarter to golf ball sized hail fell about three miles south of Mount Vernon along Thompson Road.
- May 26, 2011Hail$65,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Toombs County Regional 911 Center relayed a report of golf ball-sized hail from Montgomery county between Ailey and Higgston.
- Mar 27, 2005Flash Flood$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
The local Montgomery county newspaper reported that several inches of rain had fallen during the morning hours resulting in flooding of several roads in the county. Warnock Pond Road near Tarrytown was washed out and caved in. Several dirt roads in the county, especially the northern portion, were also washed out and closed.
- Sep 11, 2017Tropical Storm, Montgomery$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
News media reports numerous trees and power lines blown down across the county. No injuries were reported.
- Aug 30, 2023Tropical Storm, Montgomery$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
Emergency manager reported roughly 30 trees down across Montgomery County with areas around Higgston near the intersection of US 280 and Hwy 29 with seeing multiple trees down.
- Aug 19, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
A newspaper reported thunderstorm winds knocked down 100 year pecan trees and destroyed or heavily damaged outbuildings in the Hamilton Road, Joe Hilton Road, Taylor Springs Road, and Stacy Road areas. Part of the roofs of a house and a convenience store were blown off. The tin roof of a barn was ripped off, and a utility shed was destroyed. A large oak tree fell on a mobile home.
- May 11, 2008Tornado$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the EF3 tornado, that initially touched down approximately three miles south-southeast of Soperton, continued on an east-southeastward track approximately seven miles into extreme northeast Montgomery county. The tornado likely weakened to less than EF3 intensity as it entered Montgomery county. A number of outbuildings and sheds were destroyed along the path of the tornado in northeast Montgomery county. A number of trees and power lines were also downed. However, no damage to any homes was observed or reported in Montgomery county.
- 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 Eastman 1 W, 39.6 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1891.
- All-time high
- 110°FJun 28, 1954
- All-time low
- −2°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 81°FJun 27, 1952
- Coldest day
- 20°FDec 24, 1989
- Wettest day
- 7.50 inOct 4, 2026
- Snowiest day
- 3.5 inFeb 26, 1914
- Hottest year
- 1911mean 69.3°F
- Coldest year
- 1958mean 63.1°F
- Wettest year
- 194765.57 in
- Driest year
- 195426.41 in
Station Eastman 1 W (USC00092966), 400 ft elevation, 39.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1891 to October 26, 2026; 96.8% 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.
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Jul 7, 1994 | Tornado | DR-1033-GA |
| Mar 15, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3097-GA |
| May 11, 1984 | Tornado | EM-3089-GA |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
| Mar 14, 1966 | Flood | DR-214-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 Montgomery County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 6 | 145 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 1 | 40 / 159 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 46 | 39 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 4 | 55 / 159 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 32 | 66 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $461,000 | 64 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 21 | 16 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 13 | 111 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 73 | 144 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 4 | 139 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $911,000 | 153 / 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 | 146 | 32 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 8.4 | 122 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 1 | 16 / 159 |
Neighbouring counties
| Jeff Davis County | 8 | 52 |
| Toombs County | 11 | 50 |
| Treutlen County | 9 | 36 |
| 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 USC00092966.
- 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.