Holmes County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Holmes County, Florida has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 51% of US counties. It ranks 53rd of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $724 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (24 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 91 homes here carry federal flood insurance (99 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.8 million on 165 claims here, including $991,000 for floods in 1994.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Holmes County
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 91.5 | $9M | ||
| Inland flooding | 26.5 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 53.0 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 28.2 | $339K | ||
| Lightning | 61.6 | $318K | ||
| Heat wave | 42.0 | $227K | ||
| Strong wind | 19.7 | $157K | ||
| Drought | 44.6 | $89K | ||
| Earthquake | 31.6 | $80K | ||
| Hail | 6.0 | $15K | ||
| Wildfire | 32.2 | $15K | ||
| Winter weather | 9.3 | $6K | ||
| Ice storm | 4.9 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 12.4 | $36 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Holmes County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 39
Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1967
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 362 storm reports in Holmes County since 1967, with 1 death and 7 injuries and about $24.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 25, 1972.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25, 1972 | F2 | – | 2 / 1 |
| Dec 16, 2000 | F2 | Bonifay | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 2025 | EF2 | Gritney | 1 / 0 |
| Dec 10, 1967 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 26, 2005 | F1 | Bonifay | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 2013 | Flood | Royals Crossroads | $9M |
| Sep 16, 2020 | Flash Flood | Ponce De Leon | $9M |
| Feb 25, 2013 | Flood | Royals Crossroads | $1M |
| Sep 29, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $1M |
| Apr 30, 2014 | Flood | Royals Crossroads | $945K |
| Dec 16, 2000 | Tornado | Bonifay | $750K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 30, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1851, 24 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Holmes County, 20 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 160 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 5, 160 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 3, 125 mph | 48 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 29, 1917 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 3, 1877 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 5, 160 mph | 62 mi |
| May 28, 2018 | Alberto | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 17, 2009 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 23, 2008 | Fay | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 6, 2001 | Barry | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Holmes County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Holmes County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 8,659 housing units.
Compare in Florida
All 67 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | Inland flooding | |
| Broward County | Inland flooding | |
| Palm Beach County | Hurricane | |
| Hillsborough County | Hurricane | |
| Orange County | Inland flooding | |
| Duval County | Inland flooding | |
| Pinellas County | Hurricane | |
| Lee County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Walton County | 42 | |
| Jackson County | 34 | |
| Geneva County, AL | 31 | |
| Washington County | 40 |
Common questions about Holmes County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Holmes County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Holmes County, about $9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Holmes County had?
Holmes County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 24 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Holmes County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 53rd highest of 67 in Florida. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Holmes County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 91 homes in Holmes County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Holmes County had?
NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Holmes County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 25, 1972. The weather service has also logged 12 hail reports and 111 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Holmes County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 24 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Holmes County, including 7 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 160 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.