Hawkins County
Population 59,559 (2025) 487 sq mi
Property owners in Hawkins County have filed 16 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 77th most of 95 counties in Tennessee.
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 19503
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger6
- Wildfire burn scars since 19843
At a glance
The record for Hawkins County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
3,335
23rd of 95 in Tennessee
3 large fires; the largest was Stone Mt-Price Rd Fire, 2012
DetailsTropical cyclones within 50 mi
2
64th of 95 in Tennessee
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsTornadoes since 1950
3
85th of 95 in Tennessee
Fewer than the typical Tennessee county, which has had 16
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
March 5, 1955, 4.3 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Hugo, 1989, 49.8 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 25 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
March 5, 1955
F2, 4.3 mile path
300 yards wide.
Most recent
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
F1, 2.0 mile path
22 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| May 26, 2004 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1974 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 5, 1955 | F2 | 4.3 | 6 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Hawkins 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
2 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 22, 1989
Hugo, Tropical storm
49.8 miles at closest approach, winds near 58 mph.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Tropical storm
63.1 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Helene | 2024 | 63.1 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 41.9 | Tropical storm |
| Opal | 1995 | 82.6 | Tropical storm |
| Hugo | 1989 | 49.8 | Tropical storm |
| Frederic | 1979 | 76.3 | Tropical storm |
| Audrey | 1957 | 95.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 93.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 0.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 61.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 85.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 78.4 | Post-tropical |
- 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
3,335 acres burned in 3 large fires since 1984, equal to 1.1% of the land.
Largest
November 15, 2012
Stone Mt-Price Rd Fire, 1,857 acres
1,856 acres inside Hawkins County.
Most recent
November 15, 2012
Stone Mt-Price Rd Fire
1,857 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Stone Mt-Price Rd Fire | 2012 | 1,856 | 1,857 |
| Unnamed | 2000 | 542 | 887 |
| Unnamed | 1987 | 936 | 953 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 44 days
Heavy smoke on 8 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
10.3 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
9 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 29 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
16 federal flood insurance claims since 1984, with $108,000 paid.
Most claims in one year
2019: 5 claims
$27,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 37857 | 8 | $38,000 |
| 37645 | 5 | $20,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood21
- Flood19
1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.
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
April 17, 1998
Big Creek near Rogersville, 12.21 ft
5.21 feet above the 7.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
March 28, 2021
Big Creek near Rogersville, 9.88 ft
Major flooding.
| Apr 17, 1998 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 12.21 | +5.21 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 12.14 | +5.14 |
| Feb 7, 2019 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 11.89 | +4.89 |
| Mar 18, 2002 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 11.20 | +4.20 |
| Dec 30, 1969 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 10.68 | +3.68 |
| Feb 6, 2020 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 9.97 | +2.97 |
| Mar 28, 2021 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 9.88 | +2.88 |
| Mar 12, 1963 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 9.40 | +2.40 |
| Apr 5, 1977 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 9.25 | +2.25 |
| Jan 16, 2013 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 9.04 | +2.04 |
| Dec 10, 1972 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 8.97 | +1.97 |
| May 7, 1984 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 8.90 | +1.90 |
| Mar 4, 1979 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 8.71 | +1.71 |
| Mar 21, 1974 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 8.47 | +1.47 |
| Feb 16, 2003 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 8.08 | +1.08 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 7.79 | +0.79 |
| Mar 30, 1975 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 7.69 | +0.69 |
| May 5, 1989 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 7.34 | +0.34 |
| Jan 27, 1996 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 7.07 | +0.07 |
| Dec 9, 2009 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 6.95 | −0.05 |
| Apr 17, 1998 | Crockett Creek below Rogersville | 5.39 | −0.11 |
| Sep 15, 1989 | Crockett Creek below Rogersville | 5.10 | −0.40 |
| Jan 20, 1947 | Big Creek near Rogersville | 6.59 | −0.41 |
| Jul 26, 2011 | Crockett Creek below Rogersville | 4.99 | −0.51 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | Crockett Creek below Rogersville | 4.47 | −1.03 |
River gauges
| Big Creek near Rogersville | 7.0 | 12.21 ft | 10 |
| Crockett Creek below Rogersville | 5.5 | 5.39 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 101 of 1,581 months since 1895 (6%); the longest spell lasted 11 months.
101
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
28
Months in extreme drought
6%
Share of all months, severe or worse
1
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
April 1942
−5.41, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
11 months
October 1987 to August 1988.
Latest month
September 2026
+0.95, incipient wet spell
Last severe month: February 2017.
- 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 and landslides
9 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.5 in 1928.
2
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
29
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
9
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
November 2, 1928
Magnitude 4.5
5 km S of Greeneville, Tennessee; 15.8 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
June 4, 2023
Magnitude 3.2
4 km NNW of West Canton, North Carolina; 47.1 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Nov 10, 2012 | 4.2 | 39.6 |
| Aug 17, 1990 | 4.0 | 32.5 |
| Apr 10, 1989 | 4.3 | 47.9 |
| Jan 19, 1976 | 4.0 | 45.3 |
| Sep 7, 1956 | 4.1 | 28.1 |
| Jan 1, 1954 | 4.3 | 27.3 |
| Nov 2, 1928 | 4.5 | 15.8 |
| Mar 28, 1913 | 4.1 | 25.1 |
| Mar 4, 1904 | 4.0 | 42.9 |
- 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.
Mapped landslides
1
Landslides mapped, probable or better
1
With a recorded date
1
Source inventory
Mapped by NASA (1).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
388 events in the National Weather Service record, 361 of them since 1996.
30
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
164
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
56
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
0
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 9, 2011
4.25 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 1, 1995
99 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 0 |
| Debris flows | 2 | 1 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Feb 20, 2019Debris Flow$15.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
A landslide occurred on Hwy 66 between New Life Road and Clinch Valley Road on the 20th, and another near the same area occurred on the 24th. There was significant damage to Hwy 66.
- Feb 21, 2019Debris Flow$8.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
Wet antecedent soils, with additional rain prior to and during the event. Portion of Hwy 70 collapsed near Cave Springs Road. Two vehicles involved, with one death and one injury.
- Mar 28, 2021Flash Flood$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
Multiple roads were flooded and some were washed out across the county. Streams were out of their banks and flooding yards. Damages across the county were mainly to roads, and were estimated at $200,000 for the event.
- Oct 25, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$40,000
National Weather Service narrative
Emergency management personnel reported multiple trees downed by thunderstorm winds and several mobile homes damaged across the county.
- Jul 19, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous trees were reported down across the entire northeast part of the county.
- Sep 28, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
Four trees were reported down at Mooresburg and six were downed at Bulls Gap. Also, hail of unknown size accumulated to a depth of one and a half inches at Rogersville.
- May 26, 2004Tornado$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
An F1 tornado touched down just southwest of the intersection of Bright Road and Mount Pleasant Road. The path was 50 yards long and 2 miles long. In addition to downing several trees, the tornado removed the roof from a house on Mount Pleasant Road.
- Nov 10, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous trees and large limbs fell onto South Central Avenue between Main Street and Carters Valley Road.
- May 20, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Trees were reported down across the county.
- May 13, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Trees were reported down countywide and power lines were down in Rogersville.
- 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 Rogersville 1 Ne, 6.9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1896.
- All-time high
- 104°FJun 29, 1936
- All-time low
- −23°FJan 21, 1985
- Warmest night
- 82°FJul 5, 1999
- Coldest day
- −1°FJan 21, 1985
- Wettest day
- 4.12 inJul 25, 1895
- Snowiest day
- 16.0 in2 times, most recently Feb 2, 1996
- Hottest year
- 1946mean 60.3°F
- Coldest year
- 1901mean 54.0°F
- Wettest year
- 202062.15 in
- Driest year
- 194129.28 in
- Snowiest season
- 35.0 in1995-96
Median first snow
January 1
Earliest: October 24, 1923
Median last snow
February 22
Latest: April 23, 1901
14 of 88 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Rogersville 1 Ne (USC00407884), 1,355 ft elevation, 6.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1896 to October 20, 2026; 92.7% 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, February 6, 2026.
| Feb 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898-TN |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635-TN |
| Apr 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625-TN |
| Oct 2, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4832-TN |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3620-TN |
| Apr 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514-TN |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473-TN |
| Apr 17, 2019 | Flood | DR-4427-TN |
| Apr 2, 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4211-TN |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3217-TN |
| Apr 5, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1408-TN |
| Nov 3, 2000 | Fire | FM-2348-TN |
| Apr 20, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1215-TN |
| Jan 13, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1197-TN |
| Apr 14, 1994 | Flood | DR-1022-TN |
| Mar 14, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3095-TN |
| Mar 21, 1973 | Flood | DR-366-TN |
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 Hawkins County stands among 95 counties in Tennessee and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 3 | 85 / 95 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 2 | 64 / 95 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 3,335 | 23 / 95 |
| Flood insurance claims | 16 | 77 / 95 |
| Flood insurance paid | $108,000 | 81 / 95 |
| Disaster declarations | 17 | 81 / 95 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 40 | 48 / 95 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 261 | 34 / 95 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 56 | 52 / 95 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $25.3 million | 33 / 95 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 10 | 9 / 95 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 101 | 48 / 95 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 10.3 | 87 / 95 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 9 | 19 / 95 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 2 | 30 / 95 |
Neighbouring counties
| Grainger County | 4 | 2 |
| Greene County | 12 | 1 |
| Hamblen County | 3 | 2 |
| Hancock County | 3 | 0 |
| Scott County VA | 4 | 2 |
| Sullivan County | 3 | 2 |
| Washington County | 9 | 3 |
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 USC00407884.
- 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.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- 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.