Peach County
Population 29,877 (2025) 150 sq mi
Peach County has recorded 14 tornadoes since 1950, 68th most of 159 counties in Georgia; the most recent was on March 31, 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 195014
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger44
At a glance
The record for Peach County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Strongest tornado
F3
February 18, 1975, 9.7 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane Helene, 2024, 34.1 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 5.4 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
February 18, 1975
F3, 9.7 mile path
300 yards wide; 2 killed along the whole path.
Most recent
Monday, March 31, 2025
EF0, 6.9 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Mar 31, 2025 | EF0 | 6.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF0 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | 6.7 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 10, 2018 | EF0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2017 | EF1 | 9.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 21, 2017 | EF2 | 12.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2005 | F2 | 4.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 1980 | F1 | 22.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Feb 18, 1975 | F3 | 9.7 | 50 | 2 |
| Apr 2, 1970 | F1 | 0.3 | 4 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 1957 | F2 | 75.0 | 5 | 2 |
| Apr 16, 1954 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 1954 | F1 | 34.4 | 5 | 1 |
| Apr 30, 1953 | F1 | 1.0 | 5 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Peach County: 2.
- 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
19 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 1 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
34.1 miles at closest approach, winds near 77 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
34.1 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 34.1 | Category 1 |
| Elsa | 2021 | 87.4 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 49.3 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 11.1 | Tropical storm |
| Hermine | 2016 | 93.0 | Tropical storm |
| Earl | 1998 | 54.1 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 65.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Dora | 1964 | 62.7 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 51.4 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 1953 | 68.0 | Post-tropical |
| King | 1950 | 62.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 53.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 70.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 40.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 4.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 80.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 64.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 45.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1917 | 33.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 66.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 89.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1914 | 85.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 78.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 67.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 86.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 93.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 98.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 86.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 80.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 1.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 8.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 0.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 9.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 69.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 46.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 10.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1887 | 59.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 77.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 34.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 25.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 31.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 56.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 71.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 52.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 56.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 33.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 73.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 21.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 30.4 | 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: 42 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.8 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
10 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 28 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
6 federal flood insurance claims since 1994, with $237,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 31008 | 5 | $237,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood8
- 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 107 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 20 months.
107
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
27
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
30
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1925
−5.62, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
20 months
June 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.68, mild drought
Last severe month: September 2019.
- 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
22 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1982; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
5
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
January 18, 2000
Magnitude 3.5
11 km SSE of Gray, Georgia; 20.9 miles away, 11.9 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
December 6, 2009
Magnitude 3.2
4 km WNW of Deepstep, Georgia; 46.4 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
256 events in the National Weather Service record, 215 of them since 1996.
29
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
39
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
10
Winter weather events since 1996
11
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
March 30, 1977
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 3, 1997
104 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 2 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Aug 29, 2005Tornado$2.6 million
National Weather Service narrative
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service confirmed that an F2 tornado had touched down just south of Fort Valley, crossed Georgia Highway 49 in Fort Valley and continued north for approximately four miles. The overall damage path was four miles long and 50 yards wide. The worst damage was along Taylor's Mill Road. Extensive damage occurred to homes and businesses in the area. Several homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged beyond repair, including a branch of the Robins Federal Credit Union. Hundreds of large trees in the area were completely uprooted, including a pecan orchard which was destroyed. Three people suffered minor injuries in the way of bruises…
- Apr 25, 2015Hail$476,000
National Weather Service narrative
The broadcast media relayed a photo of golf ball size hail in Byron.
- Sep 6, 2004High Wind, Peach$375,000
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…
- Feb 18, 2009Hail$280,000
National Weather Service narrative
A storm spotter observed golf ball-sized hail in the eastern part of Peach county. Location was estimated by radar data since reported time and radar reflectivity data did not match.
- Feb 18, 2009Hail$280,000
National Weather Service narrative
A storm spotter observed reported golf ball-sized hail in the eastern part of the county. Location and time were estimated since report and radar data did not match. The public observed nickel-sized hail in western Peach county.
- Aug 7, 2008Hail$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
The public observed golf ball-sized hail. Radar data suggests that this occurred in the Miami Valley area, not near Byron.
- Jun 22, 2019Lightning$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Peach County Emergency Manager reported a home was struck by lightning on Clopine Lake Road just south of Sam Nunn Boulevard. The lightning strike caused a fire that completely consumed the home. No injuries were reported.
- Jul 13, 2010Lightning$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Leader Tribune of Peach County reported that lightning struck a home on Tucker Road near Byron. The lightning strike put a large hole in the wall and set the structure on fire. The home was subsequently completely destroyed.
- Sep 11, 2017Tropical Storm, Peach$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
The news media reported many trees and power lines blown down across the county. Many customers were without electricity for varying periods of time. A 54 mph wind gusts was measured at the Perry Airport between Fort Valley and Perry. Radar estimated between 3 and 5 inches of rain fell across the county with 4.43 inches measured south of Byron. No injuries were reported.
- Mar 3, 2019Tornado$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A National Weather Service survey team found that a tornado that began in Crawford County crossed into Peach County around Mossy Creek as it weakened back to EF1, downing or uprooting a number of trees along Taylors Mill Road. Pecan farming equipment was overturned and a farming shed was destroyed as the tornado crossed Vinson Road. The tornado lifted after downing pecan trees along Wesley Chapel Road. No injuries were reported in Peach County. [03/03/19: Tornado #1, County #2/2, EF1, Crawford, Peach, 2019:006].
- 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, 12 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, 12.0 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
17 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642-GA |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616-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 11, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3368-GA |
| Sep 24, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1858-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 |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3044-GA |
| Mar 14, 1975 | Tornado | EM-3008-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 Peach County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 14 | 68 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 1 | 40 / 159 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 19 | 86 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 1 | 75 / 159 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 6 | 102 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $237,000 | 82 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 17 | 86 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 15 | 97 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 107 | 121 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 10 | 88 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $5.7 million | 92 / 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 | 107 | 130 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 9.8 | 63 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Crawford County | 14 | 19 |
| Houston County | 26 | 25 |
| Macon County | 12 | 24 |
| Taylor County | 20 | 20 |
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.