Leon County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Florida Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Leon County is about the same as Florida average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Leon County is lower than Florida average and is about the same as the national average.
Earthquake Index, #34
| Leon County | 0.00 |
| Florida | 0.01 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Leon County | 0.0000 |
| Florida | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #38
| Leon County | 131.60 |
| Florida | 185.89 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 4,701 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Leon County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 28 | Dense Fog: | 46 | Drought: | 27 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 234 | Hail: | 999 | Heat: | 11 | Heavy Snow: | 18 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 17 | Ice Storm: | 9 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 31 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 2,877 | Tropical Storm: | 30 | Wildfire: | 49 | Winter Storm: | 7 | Winter Weather: | 21 |
| Other: | 297 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Leon County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Leon County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Leon County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 50 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Leon County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 1.4 | 1960-04-10 | 2 | 30°28'N / 84°18'W | 0.10 Mile | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Leon | |
| 3.9 | 1952-01-28 | 2 | 30°30'N / 84°14'W | 1.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Leon | |
| 5.3 | 1972-03-28 | 2 | 30°24'N / 84°20'W | 0.20 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Leon | |
| 9.2 | 1972-03-28 | 2 | 30°24'N / 84°25'W | 0.20 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Leon | |
| 12.6 | 1953-12-06 | 2 | 30°37'N / 84°17'W | 30°39'N / 84°09'W | 8.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Leon |
| 14.8 | 1974-01-30 | 2 | 30°39'N / 84°25'W | 30°39'N / 84°22'W | 3.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Gadsden |
| 16.3 | 1961-11-23 | 2 | 30°29'N / 84°33'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Gadsden | |||
| 20.1 | 1967-06-01 | 2 | 30°35'N / 84°35'W | 0.30 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Gadsden | |
| 20.6 | 1957-11-14 | 2 | 30°36'N / 84°35'W | 0.70 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Gadsden | |
| 21.0 | 1969-12-25 | 2 | 30°35'N / 84°36'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Gadsden | |||
| 21.5 | 1972-10-27 | 2 | 30°36'N / 84°36'W | 0.30 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Gadsden | |
| 22.9 | 1972-10-27 | 2 | 30°37'N / 84°37'W | 0.30 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Gadsden | |
| 23.5 | 1972-10-27 | 2 | 30°45'N / 84°29'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Decatur | |
| 23.7 | 1970-12-29 | 2 | 30°48'N / 84°22'W | 30°48'N / 84°17'W | 5.10 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 4 | 3K | 0 | Grady |
| 23.8 | 1970-06-27 | 2 | 30°37'N / 84°38'W | 0.80 Mile | 450 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Gadsden | |
| 25.4 | 2009-02-19 | 2 | 30°48'N / 84°10'W | 30°48'N / 84°04'W | 6.00 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.0M | 0K | Grady |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado touched down near Rawls and Lewis Roads just west of Georgia Highway 93. Damage along Rawls Road was limited to uprooted or snapped trees. One horse trailer was tipped over. The tornado continued eastward and moved a double wide modular home off its foundation on the west side of Holstein Lane. On the east side of Holstein Lane, a large cinder-block building was severely damaged, with the top level of the structure destroyed and lower west- and south-side facing walls collapsed. Three large grain silos south of the building were damaged or destroyed, and two large barns 50 yards to the east were destroyed. The tornado crossed Georgia Highway 93 just north of Lewis Road and plowed through a pine forest along the north side of Lower Cairo Road. Before crossing into Thomas County, over 95 percent of the trees near Plantation Drive adjacent to Lower Cairo Road were snapped. According to the Grady County Emergency Management Agency, a total of 15 homes were damaged, with about 300 residents without power. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Just after midnight on the 19th, a long track supercell thunderstorm spawned an EF-2 tornado south of Cairo in Grady County. The tornado raced to the east into Thomas County, causing EF-2 damage just south of Thomasville. A second tornado developed and produced EF-3 damage near Boston. | |||||||||||
| 27.0 | 2001-03-15 | 2 | 30°50'N / 84°25'W | 30°50'N / 84°24'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 4 | 500K | 0 | Decatur |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado touched down on Fewell Road in the Bell Dixon Community and tracked northeast into western Grady County. Debris was scattered over a wide area. Four persons were injured, one critically. Five homes sustained roof and window damage. Numerous trees and power lines down. One house was destroyed and eight others were severely damaged. A double-wide mobile home on Bell Dixon Road was lifted from its foundation and reduced to bits of debris in a neighboring field. Reported by the Decatur County EMA and Bainbridge Post Searchlight. | |||||||||||
| 27.7 | 2001-03-15 | 2 | 30°51'N / 84°22'W | 30°52'N / 84°18'W | 5.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 9 | 1.0M | 0 | Grady |
| Brief Description: The F2 tornado raced northeast from just southeast of Climax in Decatur County to just southeast of Whigham in Grady County, then dissipated. Nine persons were injured, one critically. Ten homes were damaged and two homes destroyed on Piney Grove Road four miles southwest of Whigham. A half dozen homes were damaged two miles southwest of Whigham at the intersection of Attapulgus and Cleon Roads. Additionally, ten barns and sheds were damaged and eight trailers destroyed. Numerous trees and power lines down with outages. Reported by the Grady County EMA and a SKYWARN storm spotter. | |||||||||||
| 29.1 | 1972-01-13 | 2 | 30°44'N / 84°39'W | 2.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Decatur | |
| 29.1 | 1968-12-28 | 3 | 30°45'N / 84°38'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Decatur | |
| 29.3 | 2009-02-19 | 2 | 30°48'N / 84°04'W | 30°48'N / 83°54'W | 10.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10.0M | 0K | Thomas |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado crossed from adjacent Grady County into Thomas County along Lower Cairo Road where it caused extensive damage to a pine forest plantation. Three homes on the south side of the tornado's path were damaged, with one home losing part of its roof. A barn and two garages were damaged or destroyed. Along its path toward U.S. Highway 319 and Cindy Road, numerous pine trees were snapped or uprooted and fell on homes. Brookwood School and its grounds sustained significant damage, including a hole in the roof of the main building. The tornado crossed U.S. Highway 319 near Metcalf Road and moved toward the Southwest Georgia State Hospital just south of Pinetree Boulevard. It snapped more pine trees and removed two air conditioning units from the roof of one of the hospital buildings. Another hospital building was heavily damaged. The tornado began to weaken as it approached U.S. Highway 19 south of Glen Arven Country Club, and crossed U.S. Highway 19 just south of Sunset Drive. Damage in this area was limited to power lines and a few trees. Before lifting, the tornado moved across County Farm Road at the Thomas County Landfill, where a storage building was damaged with debris blown several hundred yards. According to the Thomas County Emergency Management Agency, nine mobile homes were destroyed, 29 single family homes were destroyed, and a total of 170 structures were damaged. About 4,200 residents were without power. The Governor declared a state of emergency in Thomas County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Just after midnight on the 19th, a long track supercell thunderstorm spawned an EF-2 tornado south of Cairo in Grady County. The tornado raced to the east into Thomas County, causing EF-2 damage just south of Thomasville. A second tornado developed and produced EF-3 damage near Boston. | |||||||||||
| 29.9 | 1971-04-29 | 2 | 30°54'N / 84°20'W | 30°53'N / 84°10'W | 10.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Grady |
| 30.1 | 1964-04-25 | 2 | 30°02'N / 84°23'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Wakulla | |
| 32.2 | 1961-06-20 | 2 | 30°35'N / 84°48'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Gadsden | |
| 33.1 | 1973-04-26 | 2 | 30°49'N / 84°39'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Decatur | |||
| 33.7 | 1956-09-24 | 2 | 30°17'N / 83°45'W | 5.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Taylor | |
| 35.0 | 1970-05-15 | 2 | 30°53'N / 84°36'W | 0.40 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Decatur | |
| 36.9 | 1979-11-11 | 2 | 30°47'N / 83°47'W | 0.10 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Thomas | |
| 37.6 | 1988-04-18 | 2 | 30°54'N / 84°39'W | 2.70 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Decatur | |
| 37.6 | 1972-10-27 | 2 | 29°55'N / 84°20'W | 0.30 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Franklin | |
| 38.4 | 2009-02-19 | 3 | 30°49'N / 83°48'W | 30°49'N / 83°46'W | 1.00 Mile | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0K | Thomas |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The same supercell which spawned the EF-2 tornado near Thomasville produced another tornado, which touched down along Five Forks Road about two miles north of U.S. Highway 84. Numerous trees were snapped or twisted. Many power lines were down and several county roads were impassible due to fallen debris. The tornado was rated an EF-3 based on the debarked trees on the east side of Salem Road. The tornado lifted before crossing State Road 33. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Just after midnight on the 19th, a long track supercell thunderstorm spawned an EF-2 tornado south of Cairo in Grady County. The tornado raced to the east into Thomas County, causing EF-2 damage just south of Thomasville. A second tornado developed and produced EF-3 damage near Boston. | |||||||||||
| 38.9 | 1969-04-18 | 2 | 30°48'N / 84°48'W | 30°49'N / 84°47'W | 1.90 Miles | 233 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Seminole |
| 39.0 | 2000-02-14 | 3 | 31°01'N / 84°12'W | 31°00'N / 84°03'W | 8.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 6 | 15 | 3.5M | 3.0M | Grady |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado tore through northern Grady County, then crossed into extreme northwest Thomas County. Fifteen homes were destroyed and numerous damaged. Fifteen persons were injured, mostly from flying debris. Six fatalities were confirmed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency: four deaths in mobile homes and two in a woodframe home. Scores of pecan trees were uprooted, pine trees snapped and power lines toppled. Farmers suffered major losses to irrigation equipment, trailers and shelters. Eight chicken houses were flattened, killing a half million chickens. Grady County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by the Grady County EMA. M64PH, F63PH, F54MH, M85MH, F1MH, F28MH | |||||||||||
| 39.5 | 1975-01-12 | 2 | 30°47'N / 84°55'W | 31°05'N / 84°23'W | 37.80 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Seminole |
| 40.6 | 1969-04-18 | 2 | 30°49'N / 84°47'W | 31°03'N / 84°35'W | 20.00 Miles | 233 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Decatur |
| 43.3 | 1972-01-13 | 2 | 31°05'N / 84°12'W | 1.00 Mile | 150 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Mitchell | |
| 43.6 | 1972-05-08 | 2 | 30°34'N / 85°00'W | 0.30 Mile | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Calhoun | |
| 44.0 | 2000-02-14 | 3 | 31°04'N / 84°09'W | 31°06'N / 84°06'W | 2.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Thomas |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado moved from the northeast corner of Grady County into extreme northwest Thomas County near Meigs. A few homes were damaged with numerous downed trees and power lines. Reported by the Thomas County EMA. | |||||||||||
| 44.9 | 1963-03-26 | 2 | 30°48'N / 83°38'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Brooks | |
| 45.2 | 2000-02-14 | 3 | 31°05'N / 84°01'W | 31°04'N / 84°01'W | 4.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 1 | 1 | 1.0M | 0 | Mitchell |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado tracked northeast from extreme northwest Thomas County into extreme southeast Mitchell County. Numerous homes were damaged as well as downed trees and power lines. One man died from injuries sustained when the tornado destroyed his mobile home and neighboring woodframe home two miles north of Meigs. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA. M73MH | |||||||||||
| 46.0 | 2003-03-20 | 2 | 30°42'N / 85°03'W | 30°46'N / 84°55'W | 8.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 3 | 500K | 0 | Jackson |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down in Cypress, just west of Grand Ridge, and traveled northeast before lifting to the north of Sneads. Two mobile homes and a single-family home were destroyed. 15 single-family and mobile homes were damaged. Numerous trees and power lines were down. One person was seriously injured and two sustained minor injuries. Reported by the Jackson County EMA and CAP/NWS aerial survey team. | |||||||||||
| 46.0 | 1981-10-25 | 2 | 30°27'N / 85°03'W | 30°33'N / 85°03'W | 6.90 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 12 | 2.5M | 0 | Calhoun |
| 46.9 | 1963-04-06 | 2 | 31°08'N / 84°11'W | 0.80 Mile | 37 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mitchell | |
| 47.0 | 1969-09-20 | 2 | 29°52'N / 84°40'W | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Franklin | |||
| 47.4 | 1971-02-07 | 2 | 31°02'N / 84°45'W | 31°03'N / 84°39'W | 6.10 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Decatur |
| 47.6 | 1975-01-12 | 2 | 30°38'N / 85°08'W | 30°47'N / 84°55'W | 16.50 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 15 | 250K | 0 | Jackson |
| 48.1 | 1971-04-29 | 2 | 30°47'N / 83°40'W | 30°51'N / 83°30'W | 11.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Brooks |
| 48.2 | 2004-09-15 | 2 | 30°30'N / 85°03'W | 30°34'N / 85°07'W | 7.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 4 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Calhoun |
| Brief Description: The supercell thunderstorm which spawned tornadoes in Franklin and Liberty counties, produced a strong F2 tornado, which touched down just southeast of Van Lierop Road, a few miles east of Highway 69. It crossed Highway 69 near the Stafford Creek Bridge, and peeled roofs from dozens of homes, uprooted trees, and scattered debris. The tornado then struck the Macedonia Community at Highway 69-A and Parrish Lake Road. It demolished three trailers and damaged 30 homes. The tornado picked up two neighboring mobile homes. One was thrown across a road and killed its two occupants. Another was slammed into a neighbor's house, which killed its two occupants and injured five others. Reported by the Calhoun County EMA. M55PH, F35PH, M41PH, F37PH | |||||||||||
| 49.0 | 1967-12-10 | 2 | 30°30'N / 85°06'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Calhoun | |||
| 50.0 | 1971-02-07 | 2 | 30°56'N / 84°58'W | 31°02'N / 84°45'W | 14.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Seminole |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.