State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Natural disaster risk in Georgia
Georgia faces a low level of natural disaster risk, with 14 FEMA disaster declarations on record. The dominant threat is fire, and severe weather has caused $8.2B in combined property and crop damage. NOAA storm event data shows 19,360 recorded weather events resulting in 148 fatalities, figures the state uses to prioritize disaster-preparedness planning.
- 14
- FEMA declarations
- 19,360
- NOAA storm events
- 148
- Storm fatalities
- $8.2B
- Property + crop damage
The Georgia risk picture
4 of Georgia's 159 counties, 3%, carry a FEMA "high-risk" National Risk Index rating, with hurricane the single largest driver of expected annual loss statewide. Georgia has 7 FEMA disaster declarations that reached full Major Disaster status, triggering federal individual and public assistance, and its NOAA-tracked storms have caused 660 injuries statewide.
- 3%
- of counties rated high-risk by FEMA National Risk Index
- 14
- FEMA disaster declarations on record
- $8.2B
- in tracked property + crop damage
FEMA's National Risk Index and NOAA's Storm Events Database measure different things: modeled long-run risk vs. observed severe-weather events. See the methodology for how they relate.
How disaster-prone is Georgia?
FEMA disaster declarations
Georgia (GA) sits at a low level of federally recognized natural-disaster risk, with 14 FEMA disaster declarations on record, including 7 Major Disaster declarations (DR) that triggered full federal individual and public assistance. The dominant declaration type is Fire, followed by Hurricane (3), Tropical Storm (3), Severe Storm (3). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
NOAA storm events & FEMA National Risk Index
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, Georgia recorded 19,360 individual storm events, causing 148 fatalities and 660 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $8.2B. The most frequent event types in the state are Thunderstorm Wind (11,367 events), Drought (1,518 events), Hail (1,502 events). Across the state's 159 analyzed counties, FEMA's own National Risk Index flags 4 as high-risk, with an average county Risk Index score (FEMA's own formula, distinct from our Risk Score tool below) of 39.5/100.
Flood exposure & where to dig deeper
NFIP claims data is limited or absent for this state in the current extract, which usually indicates low flood-policy penetration rather than zero flood risk. The highest-Expected-Annual-Loss hazard across the state is Hurricane, estimated at $0.5B annually. Drill into individual counties for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
Disaster Types in Georgia
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for Georgia (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 11,367 | 18 | 89 | $69.0M |
| Drought | 1,518 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Hail | 1,502 | 0 | 0 | $61.8M |
| Flash Flood | 1,236 | 0 | 3 | $29.5M |
| Tornado | 747 | 38 | 395 | $391.6M |
| Tropical Storm | 684 | 28 | 19 | $855.4M |
| Winter Storm | 459 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Winter Weather | 396 | 2 | 3 | $0 |
| Flood | 243 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Lightning | 206 | 12 | 32 | $7.6M |
| Heavy Rain | 204 | 3 | 1 | $307.0K |
| Strong Wind | 158 | 7 | 10 | $3.2M |
| Excessive Heat | 100 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Heavy Snow | 87 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | 72 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 62 | 14 | 91 | $2.4B |
| Rip Current | 46 | 10 | 5 | $0 |
| Funnel Cloud | 42 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 41 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 35 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,275 | 6 | 10 | $7.8M |
| 2024 | 1,670 | 35 | 102 | $1.6B |
| 2023 | 2,708 | 11 | 126 | $44.5M |
| 2022 | 2,212 | 22 | 82 | $8.5M |
| 2021 | 847 | 4 | 33 | $39.1M |
| 2020 | 1,535 | 17 | 50 | $34.0M |
| 2019 | 1,158 | 4 | 20 | $20.9M |
| 2018 | 1,257 | 8 | 24 | $1.5B |
| 2017 | 1,679 | 21 | 165 | $449.2M |
| 2016 | 1,664 | 13 | 27 | $35.3M |
| 2015 | 1,355 | 7 | 21 | $33.5M |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
14 unique disaster declarations in Georgia.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5630 | HIGHWAY 82 FIRE | FM | Fire | 2026-04-22 |
| 5629 | PINELAND ROAD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2026-04-21 |
| 3642 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2026-01-24 |
| 4830 | HURRICANE HELENE | DR | Hurricane | 2024-09-30 |
| 3616 | HURRICANE HELENE | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-26 |
| 4821 | TROPICAL STORM DEBBY | DR | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-24 |
| 3607 | HURRICANE DEBBY | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-08-05 |
| 4738 | HURRICANE IDALIA | DR | Hurricane | 2023-09-07 |
| 4685 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2023-01-16 |
| 4600 | SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2021-05-05 |
| 4579 | TROPICAL STORM ZETA | DR | Hurricane | 2021-01-12 |
| 5181 | WEST MIMS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2017-05-08 |
| 5163 | TATUM GULF FIRE | FM | Fire | 2016-11-13 |
| 4259 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2016-02-26 |
FEMA National Risk Index
Composite natural hazard risk scores for Georgia counties based on FEMA's National Risk Index.
Avg County Risk Score
39.5/100
High Risk Counties
4
of 159 counties
Top Hazard by EAL
Hurricane
$0.5B annual loss est.
Top 5 Hazards by Expected Annual Loss
#1
Hurricane
$524.5M EAL
#2
Tornado
$432.8M EAL
#3
Cold Wave
$212.8M EAL
#4
Earthquake
$164.7M EAL
#5
Heat Wave
$96.7M EAL
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) EAL = Expected Annual Loss. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
Counties in Georgia
159 counties with FEMA disaster data.
| # | County | Disasters | Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clinch | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | Brantley | 6 | 3 |
| 3 | Echols | 6 | 3 |
| 4 | Bulloch | 6 | 3 |
| 5 | Candler | 6 | 3 |
| 6 | Montgomery | 6 | 3 |
| 7 | Gilmer | 6 | 4 |
| 8 | Toombs | 6 | 3 |
| 9 | Jenkins | 6 | 3 |
| 10 | Tattnall | 6 | 3 |
| 11 | Screven | 6 | 3 |
| 12 | Burke | 6 | 3 |
| 13 | Ware | 6 | 3 |
| 14 | Jeff Davis | 6 | 4 |
| 15 | Charlton | 6 | 3 |
| 16 | Lumpkin | 5 | 3 |
| 17 | White | 5 | 3 |
| 18 | Evans | 5 | 2 |
| 19 | Treutlen | 5 | 2 |
| 20 | Rabun | 5 | 3 |
| 21 | Fannin | 5 | 3 |
| 22 | Emanuel | 5 | 2 |
| 23 | Newton | 5 | 3 |
| 24 | Pickens | 5 | 3 |
| 25 | Brooks | 5 | 3 |
| 26 | Pierce | 5 | 3 |
| 27 | Wayne | 5 | 3 |
| 28 | Tift | 5 | 3 |
| 29 | Lowndes | 5 | 3 |
| 30 | Lanier | 5 | 3 |
| 31 | Cook | 5 | 3 |
| 32 | Colquitt | 5 | 3 |
| 33 | Thomas | 5 | 3 |
| 34 | Camden | 5 | 3 |
| 35 | Atkinson | 5 | 3 |
| 36 | Bacon | 5 | 3 |
| 37 | Appling | 5 | 3 |
| 38 | Coffee | 5 | 3 |
| 39 | Berrien | 5 | 3 |
| 40 | Telfair | 4 | 1 |
| 41 | Haralson | 4 | 2 |
| 42 | Johnson | 4 | 1 |
| 43 | Taliaferro | 4 | 2 |
| 44 | Greene | 4 | 2 |
| 45 | Paulding | 4 | 2 |
| 46 | Wheeler | 4 | 1 |
| 47 | Habersham | 4 | 2 |
| 48 | Laurens | 4 | 1 |
| 49 | Wilkes | 4 | 2 |
| 50 | Dodge | 4 | 1 |
Showing 50 of 159 counties.
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
Essential steps to prepare your household for the most common natural hazards.
Hazard Risk by Region
How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.
Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect Georgia?
How many FEMA disaster declarations has Georgia had?
What severe weather events are most common in Georgia?
What is the disaster risk level for Georgia?
Which counties in Georgia have the most disaster declarations?
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for Georgia
Clinch alone accounts for 50% of Georgia's FEMA disaster declarations, out of 159 counties tracked statewide.
- Risk is uneven within the state - Clinch and Brantley carry the most declarations. Check the county where you live. Browse counties
- See how Georgia ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, PlainHazard tracks 2,791 U.S. counties in FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries dataset, refreshed as of 2026-07-20. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.