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Georgia · County tornado history

Gwinnett County, Georgia tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 12 tornadoes in Gwinnett County, Georgia from 1950 through 2024, about one every 6.2 years. That ranks it 90 of 158 counties in Georgia with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF0 on October 10, 2020.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
12
Since 2000
3
Strongest
EF2, November 30, 2010
Most recent
EF0, October 10, 2020
Peak month
April (3)
Per 1,000 sq mi
27
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively High

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 Gwinnett County

April has brought the most, 3 of 12. About 50% touched down between 1 pm and 7 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it). Winter tornadoes (December to February) make up 17% 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) 1
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 5
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 6
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 0
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 Gwinnett County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 8, 1998 F2 19 mi 800 yd 1 10
June 27, 1994 F2 8 mi 200 yd 1
November 10, 1984 F2 1.5 mi 127 yd 8
January 29, 1970 F2 0.5 mi 33 yd
May 28, 1976 F2 1 mi 50 yd
November 30, 2010 EF2 2.1 mi 100 yd
May 25, 1961 F1 6.1 mi 17 yd
May 16, 1969 F1 0.5 mi 50 yd
April 23, 1971 F1 0.1 mi 33 yd
February 10, 1990 F1 1 mi 73 yd

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

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Gwinnett County was an F2 on June 27, 1994. It killed 1 person and injured 0 along its 8-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
October 10, 2020 EF0 0.7 mi 200 yd
November 30, 2010 EF2 2.1 mi 100 yd
April 3, 2000 F1 4 mi 150 yd
April 8, 1998 F2 19 mi 800 yd 1 10
June 27, 1994 F2 8 mi 200 yd 1
February 10, 1990 F1 1 mi 73 yd
November 10, 1984 F2 1.5 mi 127 yd 8
May 28, 1976 F2 1 mi 50 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 Gwinnett County as relatively high, with a score of 97 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.26 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $23,184,335 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 Gwinnett County had?

12 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 3 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Gwinnett County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF0 on October 10, 2020. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Gwinnett County?

An EF2 on November 30, 2010, with a 2.1-mile path.

When is tornado season in Gwinnett 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.