Brooks County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Brooks County's overall risk Very Low (score 42.1 of 100, higher than 42% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 277 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.5 | $987K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 86.0 | $2.7M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.6 | $1.1M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 55.8 | $754K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55.6 | $137K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.9 | $167K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.6 | $111K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 56.4 | $44K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 34.5 | $69K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 31.1 | $2.3M |
| Hail | Very Low | 29.3 | $73K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 12.8 | $7K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 4.7 | $4 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.3 | $1K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 148 | 0 | $629K | 134th of 159 | 1419th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 38 | 0 | – | 109th of 159 | 530th of 3,063 |
| Floods | 25 | 0 | $1.4M | 68th of 159 | 1747th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 21 | 0 | – | 152nd of 159 | 2600th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 15 | 0 | $111M | 107th of 159 | 220th of 1,849 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 2 | $3.3M | 121st of 159 | 1823rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 5 | 0 | – | 123rd of 159 | 1469th of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 4 | 0 | – | 144th of 159 | 2914th of 3,077 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | $9.5M | 139th of 159 | 2401st of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 140th of 159 | 1914th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 2 | – | 147th of 159 | 1899th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Brooks County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.