118
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$865K
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Oconee County, Georgia: 118 recorded events between 1969 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 65. That places the county #1,961 nationally and #86 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Oconee County, Georgia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Oconee County is the 1980s, when 27 of the county's 118 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Oconee County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 65.6% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,961 for this hazard and #86 within Georgia, putting it in the 37.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Oconee County with 26 recorded events, while Dec is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2024 | WATKINSVILLE | 39 | $1K |
| Aug 7, 2023 | BISHOP | 52 | $1K |
| Aug 7, 2023 | OLD MILL CHASE | 56 | $10K |
| Aug 7, 2023 | OLD MILL CHASE | 52 | $5K |
| Jun 25, 2023 | EASTVILLE | 52 | $1K |
| Apr 1, 2023 | ELDER | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 1, 2023 | JENNINGS MILL | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 1, 2023 | TEE PEE | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 3, 2022 | ALLEN | 52 | $0 |
| Aug 17, 2021 | BISHOP | 50 | $10K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The Oconee County 911 Center reported that more than 15 trees and several power lines were down, especially across the eastern part of the county from just west of Bogart to near Barnett Shoals. A large old oak tree fell on the roof of a home along North High Shoals Road resulting in moderate damage to the structure. A mobile home on Dials Mill Spur was destroyed when a tree fell on it. Trees were down on Mason Mill Road, Garrett Road, U.S. Highway 441, Fern Creek Drive, New High Shoals Drive, Jennings Mill Road, Monroe Highway, U.S. Highway 78 (Atlanta Highway) at several locations, and Pete Dickens Road. An 18-wheel truck carrying gasoline wrecked when it ran into a tree that had fallen across Atlanta Highway near Pete Dickens Road. The driver did not suffer any injuries.
The Oconee County Emergency Management Director reported that a thunderstorm downburst or microburst from a small thunderstorm caused considerable damage around the city of Watkinsville. The roof was blown off two chicken houses. In addition, two large feeding containers were blown from the chicken houses into an adjacent field. Twenty to 30 trees were blown down around the city. Trees were down on power lines at several locations and several roads were blocked from downed trees.
The Oconee County Emergency Management Director reported that an apparent microburst or downburst associated with a strong thunderstorm blew down at least eight large trees near the intersection of Georgia Highway 53 and Experiment Station Road, or near the Phil Campbell USDA Research Center. At one location on the road, three large oak trees were blown down, one going through a portion of a residence. Another tree brought down power poles, including traffic signals and telephone cables. Next door, five large pecan trees were blown down, one causing minor damage to a residence and falling on another small structure on the premises. In addition, the tin roof was blown off a farm equipment shed on the same premises.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Oconee County, Georgia?
118 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Oconee County between 1969 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Oconee County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Oconee County measured 65.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Oconee County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Oconee County, Georgia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/georgia/oconee-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.