BlockWedowee, Alabama
10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1899 and the latest in 1978. It stands in the Wedowee census division. It lies in ZIP code area 36278. It stands on Frog Level Branch. The Survey maps it on the Wedowee quadrangle. 737 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 856 feet above sea level.
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Population over time
2 figuresWedowee fell from 823 to 737 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 823 | |
| 2020 | 737 | -86 (-10%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 10 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1899 USGS Wedowee quadrangle1:125000
- 1902 USGS Wedowee quadrangle1:125000, 3 printings
- 1953 USGS Atlanta quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Atlanta quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Atlanta quadrangle1:250000
- 1969 USGS Wedowee quadrangle1:24000
- 1978 USGS La Grange quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
114 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 114 fires within 5 miles of Wedowee between 1994 and 2019, burning about 678 acres in total. 3 started naturally. 18 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 44 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 21 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 18 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 14 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 5 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 4 |
| Natural | 3 |
| Smoking | 3 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September 2010 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 21 September 2003 | Misuse of fire by a minor | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 20 September 1998 | Natural | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 2 September 1997 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 16 September 2003 | Smoking | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 14 September 1998 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 13 September 2019 | Natural | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20190913-16 |
| 13 September 2019 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20190913-5 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Wedowee: 4 past producers, 2 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Gold, Sulfides. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.S. Bradley Prospect | Gold, Sulfides | Occurrence | Gold, Pyrite | |
| H S Bradley Prospect | Gold | Occurrence | ||
| Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 67 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Wedowee in 67 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 36 thunderstorm wind, 21 hail, 4 tornado, 3 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $800,000 | The Randolph County Emergency Management Agency estimated winds of at least 80 mph swept through Roanoke. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Two or three homes were destroyed by falling trees while 16 other homes sustained major to moderate damage. A light pole at the high school stadium was toppled. The high school, a nursing home, the grammar school, and the recreation center reported minor damage. Six businesses sustained damage including an outbuilding business which suffered major damage. Two chicken houses sustained roof damage. Several trees were reported downed by the wind across the county. |
| April 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $125,000 | Damaging straight line winds affected areas in and around Wedowee. Several homes sustained roof damage, several docks were damaged, one bank sustained major roof damage, and several trees and power lines were blown down. Power outages lasted through a large part of the afternoon. |
| May 2003 | Tornado (F1) | Wedowee | $85,000 | A tornado touched down 1.6 miles south-southwest of Wedowee or just west of CR 15. The tornado crossed CR 15 and US 431 where a restaurant and several other buildings suffered minor damage. The tornado continued on an east-northeast path crossing through primarily rural areas damaging a few buildings and downing a large number of trees. Tornado intensity varied along the path and in some locations there was significant tree damage with some trees splintered. The tornado crossed through the Napoleon area and crossed CR 39 before ending close to the Alabama-Georgia state line. Damage toward the end of the path became very minor.Beg: 33 17.229/85 29.559 End: 33 21.147/85 16.994 |
| August 2006 | Lightning | Wedowee | $75,000 | Lightning strikes destroyed the downtown traffic lights, several computers and equipment in the courthouse and commission anex buildings. Lightning also struck a house, which subsequently burned to the ground due to the strike. |
| November 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $75,000 | Numerous trees and power lines down were blown down in and around the city of Wedowee. The fallen trees caused some home and vehicle damage. |
| November 2001 | Tornado (F1) | Wedowee | $50,000 | no account filed |
| January 2010 | Flash Flood | Wedowee | $25,000 | Widespread flooding was reported around the city of Wedowee, and several roads had to be closed for several hours due to high water. |
| May 1996 | Hail | Wedowee | $15,000 | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Flash Flood | Wedowee | $12,000 | Heavy rainfall in a short period of time caused flooding in Wedowee. Many roads were flooded and creeks briefly ran out of their banks. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $10,000 | A large tree was blown across CR-333, and a large tree limb fell through a house on CR-233. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $10,000 | A restaurant in Wedowee sustained roof damage. |
| March 1996 | Hail | Wedowee | $10,000 | no account filed |
| March 1996 | Hail | Wedowee | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Lightning | Wedowee | $8,000 | A mobile home was struck by lightning and sustained minor damage. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $8,000 | A boat repair shop near Fosters Crossroads had one of its metal buildings destroyed. One wood frame building had minor damage. A few homes had shingles blown off their roofs near CR 82 and CR 7. Several trees and power lines were blown down. |
| October 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $7,000 | Several trees were blown down and a few barns were damaged. |
| July 2000 | Hail | Wedowee | $6,000 | Golf ball size hail fell just north of Wedowee along old US 431. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $5,000 | A 14 inch diameter tree was blown down onto a carport and power poles, on Old Highway 431 near Wedowee. |
| January 2000 | Hail | Wedowee | $5,000 | Golfball size hail was reported on US 431 just inside the Randolph County line north-northwest of Wedowee. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $5,000 | A grain silo was heavily damaged and some farm equipment sustained damage near the town of Tin Shop. |
| December 2000 | Tornado (F0) | Wedowee | $5,000 | Numerous trees were blown down along the short path of this tornado. No injuries were reported as the tornado remained in mostly rural areas.Beginning: 33 15.540/85 21.287 Ending: 33 16.020/85 20.414 |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $5,000 | Trees were down in and around Wedowee. |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $5,000 | Thunderstorm wind downed trees in Wedowee. |
| January 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $4,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $4,000 | The courthouse in Wedowee sustained minor roof damage in the form of shingles being removed. The power was also interrupted for a few hours. |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $4,000 | There was minor structural damage reported to the Court House in Wedowee, as well as some trees down and power outages. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $3,000 | A few trees and power lines were blown down southwest of Wedowee. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $3,000 | Several trees were blown down near the Foster Crossroads Community, just south of the intersection of US-431 and CR-82. |
| April 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $3,000 | A few trees were blown down across the southern half of the county. |
| December 2005 | Hail | Wedowee | $3,000 | Nickel to golf ball size hail fell along County Road 58 just east of Wedowee. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $3,000 | Trees were knocked down just northeast of Wedowee. |
| August 1999 | Hail | Wedowee | $3,000 | Quarter size hail fell just east of Wedowee. Two trees were also blown down. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $2,000 | A few trees and branches were blown down, a fence was damaged, and a building had minor roof damage. |
| July 2005 | Flash Flood | Wedowee | $2,000 | County Road 82 was flooded near Foster Crossroads. The road was temporarily impassable. |
| December 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $1,000 | Two trees were blown down near the intersection of CR-129 and AL-48, near Wedowee. |
| September 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | $500 | Multiple trees were uprooted along Highway 48 near Randolph County High School. |
| February 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Trees were downed and a home was damaged near Wedowee. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several trees were downed across Randolph County, resulting in power outages. Near Wedowee, trees were downed across Highway 48 in multiple places, with one resulting in a two-vehicle crash, and across County Road 32. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several trees were downed around Randolph County, including County Road 329, County Road 51, County Road 87, Louina Rd, and Highway 431. One tree fell on power lines, causing a small fire. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | A line of thunderstorms passing northwest to southeast across the county resulted in numerous trees and several power lines being downed across the county. Along County Road 61, a vehicle drove into a downed tree, resulting in an accident. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several trees and power lines were knocked down around the Randolph County. A one car garage was separated from a house as well. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Multiple trees uprooted on the east side of Wedowee. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several trees uprooted in Wedowee. |
| March 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in the town of Wedowee. |
| March 2019 | Tornado (EF0) | Wedowee | - | National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Randolph County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph.||The tornado touched down near 4th Street West just west of Highway 431. At the onset there were several softwood trees uprooted. Damage was very spotty and isolated, suggestive of a fairly weak circulation. A barn/outbuilding was destroyed along with roofing damage to the corner of one of five chicken houses just east of County Road 56, with no nearby tree damage. The tornado lifted just before Highway 48. |
| July 2018 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Golf ball sized hail reported near the town of Wedowee. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several reports of trees uprooted and power lines downed across Randolph County. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Numerous trees uprooted across southern portion of Randolph County. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Several trees uprooted and power lines down in the town of Wedowee. |
| April 2014 | Flood | Wedowee | - | More than five inches of rain fell across central Randolph County, causing numerous roadways to become impassable. Waters were slow to recede after the rain moved out of the area. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | Numerous trees were uprooted throughout the county. Several trees fell on homes, and the roof of a church was partially removed. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | A tree fell on a mobile home in Wedowee. Several trees were also knocked down in central Randolph County. |
| February 2005 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Nickel to quarter size hail was observed in the Potash community. |
| December 2005 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Penny size hail was observed near Wedowee. The hail accumulated to at least two inches deep. |
| December 2005 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Pea to penny size hail was reported just west of Wedowee. |
| March 2003 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Penny size hail was reported in Wedowee. |
| July 2000 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Dime size hail was reported near Corinth in northwest Randolph County. There were numerous reports that the storm was rotating. |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wedowee | - | A few trees were blown down near Morrison Crossroads. |
| May 1999 | Hail | Wedowee | - | Dime size hail was reported along SR 1 between Wedowee and Roanoke. Numerous reports of rotating wall clouds and funnel clouds were also received at this time. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Wedowee | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q66926 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 153913. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.