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Georgia · County tornado history

Effingham County, Georgia tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 15 tornadoes in Effingham County, Georgia from 1950 through 2024, about one every 5.0 years. That ranks it 66 of 158 counties in Georgia with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on June 14, 2023.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
15
Since 2000
7
Strongest
F3, April 9, 1998
Most recent
EF1, June 14, 2023
Peak month
May (3)
Per 1,000 sq mi
31
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 Effingham County

May has brought the most, 3 of 15. About 60% touched down between 2 pm and 8 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

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) 1
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 8
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 5
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 Effingham County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 9, 1998 F3 8 mi 440 yd 2 17
February 9, 2017 EF2 9.8 mi 300 yd 7
March 15, 2008 EF2 7 mi 440 yd 5
May 3, 1975 F2 5.4 mi 50 yd 2
October 27, 1972 F2 1 mi 400 yd
March 15, 2008 EF2 0.5 mi 100 yd
May 12, 1974 F1 2 mi 50 yd 1 3
November 7, 1995 F1 8.5 mi 60 yd 1
February 1, 1976 F1 8.4 mi 100 yd
April 8, 1980 F1 4.2 mi 30 yd

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

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Effingham County was an F3 on April 9, 1998. It killed 2 people and injured 17 along its 8-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
June 14, 2023 EF1 7 mi 280 yd
July 7, 2021 EF1 1.9 mi 100 yd
September 17, 2020 EF1 2.7 mi 150 yd
February 9, 2017 EF2 9.8 mi 300 yd 7
March 15, 2008 EF2 0.5 mi 100 yd
March 15, 2008 EF2 7 mi 440 yd 5
June 13, 2006 F0 0.5 mi 50 yd
April 9, 1998 F3 8 mi 440 yd 2 17

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 Effingham County as relatively low, with a score of 47 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.21 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $1,347,042 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 Effingham County had?

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

When was the last tornado in Effingham County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on June 14, 2023. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Effingham County?

An F3 on April 9, 1998, with a 8-mile path.

When is tornado season in Effingham County?

May 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.