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Tornado in Early County, Georgia
39 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Early County, Georgia, has 39 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
January is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 2,356 tornado events recorded in Georgia; its 7.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Georgia
| Measure | Early County | Georgia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 2,356 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.6 | 4.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 36.7 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 220 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | January | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
8Feb
2Mar
3Apr
7May
1Jun
3Jul
0Aug
0Sep
3Oct
1Nov
5Dec
6
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 39 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $326K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 17 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 2 | 5 | County |
| 15 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $750K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 26 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Nov 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Dec 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 5 Dec 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Early County had?
39 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Early County?
12 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Early County?
The tornado of 5 Apr 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Early County compare with Georgia for tornado?
7.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.1 statewide; the county holds 39 of the state's 2,356 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.