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Georgia · County tornado history

Appling County, Georgia tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 19 tornadoes in Appling County, Georgia from 1950 through 2024, about one every 3.9 years. That ranks it 43 of 158 counties in Georgia with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on December 30, 2021.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
19
Since 2000
7
Strongest
F3, December 25, 1964
Most recent
EF1, December 30, 2021
Peak month
April (6)
Per 1,000 sq mi
37
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Low

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Appling County

April has brought the most, 6 of 19. About 58% touched down between 12 pm and 6 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it). Winter tornadoes (December to February) make up 37% of the total, a sign of the cool-season storms common in the South.

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 7
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 8
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 3
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 1
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Appling County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
December 25, 1964 F3 0.1 mi 600 yd 2 16
December 2, 2009 EF2 5.1 mi 440 yd 2
April 3, 1961 F2 0.5 mi 33 yd
January 6, 1962 F2 5.4 mi 300 yd
March 13, 1986 F1 0.3 mi 100 yd 4
August 17, 1954 F1 0.5 mi 17 yd
April 2, 1955 F1 5.7 mi 100 yd
March 16, 1972 F1 3.6 mi 100 yd
April 23, 1984 F1 0.5 mi 30 yd
July 29, 1987 F1 0.2 mi 50 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Appling County was an F3 on December 25, 1964. It killed 2 people and injured 16 along its 0.1-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
December 30, 2021 EF1 11.7 mi 300 yd
January 22, 2017 EF1 11.1 mi 1,900 yd
December 2, 2009 EF2 5.1 mi 440 yd 2
April 13, 2009 EF0 5.5 mi 100 yd
February 22, 2003 F0 0.1 mi 0 yd 1
December 24, 2002 F0 0.1 mi 10 yd
November 5, 2002 F0 0.8 mi 80 yd 2
March 8, 1998 F0 0.1 mi 30 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Appling County as relatively low, with a score of 46 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.23 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $841,025 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Appling County had?

19 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 7 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Appling County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on December 30, 2021. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Appling County?

An F3 on December 25, 1964, with a 0.1-mile path.

When is tornado season in Appling County?

April has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.