Terrell County
Population 8,656 (2025) 336 sq mi
28 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Terrell County since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1894 (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 195011
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger66
At a glance
The record for Terrell County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Strongest tornado
F2
December 5, 1954, 2.7 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane (unnamed), 1894, 39.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 6.9 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
December 5, 1954
F2, 2.7 mile path
200 yards wide.
Deadliest
January 20, 1963
1 killed, F1
4 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Saturday, April 24, 2021
EF1, 0.9 mile path
5 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 24, 2021 | EF1 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 18, 2021 | EF1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 23, 2016 | EF1 | 5.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF1 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 1990 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1984 | F1 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 31, 1973 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 11, 1972 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1964 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 20, 1963 | F1 | 70.2 | 4 | 1 |
| Dec 5, 1954 | F2 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Terrell 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
28 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 5 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 9, 1894
Unnamed storm, Category 1
39.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 90 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Category 1
60.2 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 60.2 | Category 1 |
| Idalia | 2023 | 96.5 | Category 1 |
| Mindy | 2021 | 81.0 | Tropical storm |
| Elsa | 2021 | 88.2 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 29.7 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 1.8 | Category 1 |
| Irma | 2017 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Hermine | 2016 | 72.0 | Tropical storm |
| Alberto | 2006 | 87.3 | Tropical storm |
| Earl | 1998 | 28.3 | Tropical storm |
| Allison | 1995 | 62.3 | Tropical storm |
| Kate | 1985 | 39.1 | Category 1 |
| Eloise | 1975 | 77.6 | Category 1 |
| Alma | 1966 | 76.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 7.9 | Tropical storm |
| Hilda | 1964 | 55.9 | Post-tropical |
| Dora | 1964 | 16.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1957 | 81.2 | Tropical storm |
| Flossy | 1956 | 21.9 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 1953 | 21.4 | Post-tropical |
| King | 1950 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 79.8 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 19.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 68.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1937 | 86.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 85.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 77.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 37.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 52.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1926 | 1.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 87.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 87.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1917 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 39.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1914 | 31.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 22.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 99.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 46.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 67.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 64.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1903 | 79.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 84.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 77.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 5.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 4.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 75.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 47.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 52.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 13.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 39.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 72.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 26.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1887 | 53.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 57.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 36.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 90.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 71.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 22.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 3.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 76.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 37.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 51.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1873 | 82.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 90.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1868 | 84.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 4.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 75.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 10.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 64.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 61.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 11.7 | 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: 37 days
Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2025, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
6 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
6 federal flood insurance claims since 1998, with $58,000 paid.
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood8
- Flood2
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 110 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 21 months.
110
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
42
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
41
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
March 1955
−5.54, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
May 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.58, 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
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
219 events in the National Weather Service record, 186 of them since 1996.
11
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
82
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
6
Winter weather events since 1996
3
Heat events since 1996
3
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 12, 2007
2.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
February 12, 2019
90 mph
Costliest events since 1996
- Mar 8, 1998Flood, Terrell$10.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
An intense Gulf storm produced 5 to 12 inches of rain across much of southwest Georgia on March 7-9 which caused widespread flooding. Baker, Ben Hill, Cook, Colquitt, Dougherty, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Terrell, Decatur, Early, Brooks, Colquitt, Clay, Seminole, Calhoun, Thomas, and Worth counties were declared federal disaster areas. In Ben Hill County, floodwaters claimed the life of a Irwinville man whose vehicle overturned. In Baker County, several homes and businesses were flooded in Newton. 100 residents within the Newton city limits were evacuated. Numerous county and secondary roads were closed. Flooding along the Itchuaway-Nochaway Creek forced additional evacuations at…
- Oct 10, 2018Hurricane (Typhoon), Terrell$5.0 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…
- Sep 10, 2017Tropical Storm, Terrell$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hurricane Irma brought numerous impacts to the Florida Big Bend, southwest Georgia and southeast Alabama including widespread downed trees and power lines, roads blocked by trees, power outages, and trees on homes. Two people died during the event - one due to a car crash (Liberty County, FL) and another that had a heart attack (Worth County, GA). Two indirect deaths occurred due to carbon monoxide from a generator (Taylor County, FL). While many counties across the Florida Big Bend and southwest Georgia were impacted, the greatest impacts were across the eastern portion of the area near the I-75 corridor. There were over 6.5 million customers without power in Florida, over…
- Apr 10, 2009Tornado$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
An EF1 tornado touched down just west of County Line Road. It raced eastward across the road and lifted just before crossing State Road 520. Along its brief path, several mobile homes and barns were destroyed, a few frame homes were damaged, and many trees and power lines were down. A woman escaped injury when her mobile home was blown off its foundation.
- Jul 11, 2005Flash Flood$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
Torrential rains of three to five inches in less than three hours flooded many county roads. Reported by the Terrell County EMA.
- Jul 9, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Terrell$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.…
- Dec 24, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Straight-line winds inflicted minor roof damage to several homes. Numerous trees and power lines were toppled. Approximately 400 customers were without power, from the town of Sasser south to the county line. Reported by a SKYWARN spotter and GEMA.
- Sep 3, 1998Tropical Storm, Terrell$85,000
National Weather Service narrative
Tropical Storm Earl produced widespread moderate to heavy rain and strong winds as it trekked northeast from Southwest to East-central Georgia. Rainfall totals associated with Earl ranged from three to six inches. Peak wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common. Ben Hill County officials reported several county roads closed due to high water, flooding of low-lying areas, and sporadic power outages. Berrien, Irwin, and Worth counties sustained minor flooding, downed trees and power lines. In Clay County, GA 37 and 39 were closed to high water and scattered debris. Several downed trees and power lines reported in Fort Gaines. Across Brooks, Grady, Miller, Tift, and Seminole counties,…
- Jun 5, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$80,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous reports of trees and power lines. An estimated 10 to 15 acres of corn were damaged, and four greenhouses and a mobile home were destroyed in Terrell County.
- Dec 11, 2008Strong Wind, Terrell$60,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several trees and power lines were down throughout the county. In Dawson, a large oak tree fell on two tractor-trailer rigs. One of the rigs was totaled and the other 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 Albany Sw Georgia Regional Airport, 21.3 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 106°FAug 7, 2007
- All-time low
- 12°FJan 22, 2025
- Warmest night
- 80°F2 times, most recently Aug 9, 2007
- Coldest day
- 30°F2 times, most recently Jan 7, 2014
- Wettest day
- 5.29 inMar 28, 2009
- Snowiest day
- 0.9 inJan 18, 2026
- Hottest year
- 2019mean 70.1°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 65.8°F
- Wettest year
- 194866.72 in
- Driest year
- 201126.79 in
Station Albany Sw Georgia Regional Airport (USW00013869), 191 ft elevation, 21.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 85.5% 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
11 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026.
| Oct 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657-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 |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3218-GA |
| Mar 11, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1209-GA |
| Jul 7, 1994 | Tornado | DR-1033-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 Terrell County stands among 159 counties in Georgia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 11 | 98 / 159 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 28 | 67 / 159 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 5 | 50 / 159 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 6 | 102 / 159 |
| Flood insurance paid | $58,000 | 108 / 159 |
| Disaster declarations | 11 | 159 / 159 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 10 | 124 / 159 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 110 | 119 / 159 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 6 | 115 / 159 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $17.7 million | 57 / 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 | 110 | 120 / 159 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 9.2 | 96 / 159 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Calhoun County | 14 | 31 |
| Dougherty County | 19 | 34 |
| Lee County | 16 | 31 |
| Randolph County | 16 | 26 |
| Sumter County | 27 | 32 |
| Webster County | 7 | 22 |
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 USW00013869.
- 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.