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Bleckley County, Georgia

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
96th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$7Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Bleckley County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 74% of US counties. It ranks 96th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $6.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $526 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 15 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Bleckley County

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 years.
  • 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate72.5
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low16.0
$1M
Heat waveModerate80.1
$1M
HurricaneLow73.8
$641K
DroughtModerate78.0
$631K
TornadoLow28.4
$351K
EarthquakeVery Low50.0
$211K
Strong windLow19.8
$135K
LightningLow25.8
$71K
HailVery Low19.1
$52K
WildfireVery Low49.0
$34K
Ice stormVery Low8.1
$3K
Winter weatherVery Low3.1
$2K
LandslideVery Low3.9
$4

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 high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Bleckley County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Flood1
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Storm1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Show all 14
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 14, 1966FloodingMajor disaster

Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 128 storm reports in Bleckley County since 1958, with 0 deaths and 28 injuries and about $2.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on January 24, 1958.

19tornadoes
23hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
80damaging thunderstorm winds
3floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 24, 1958F2–16 / 0
Mar 16, 1972F2–12 / 0
Jun 26, 1961F2–0 / 0
Jan 15, 1971F2–0 / 0
Nov 12, 1992F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 16, 2000Thunderstorm WindCochran$500K
Jan 24, 1958Tornado–$250K
Mar 16, 1972Tornado–$250K
Nov 12, 1992Tornado–$250K
Mar 1, 2007TornadoCary$250K
May 10, 2009Thunderstorm WindCochran$125K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jan 10, 2025. 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, 6 hurricanes and 26 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bleckley County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 90 mph about 60 miles away.

6hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
26tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph62 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph53 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph58 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph51 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Sep 3, 1998EarlTropical storm, 50 mph54 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateTropical storm, 70 mph54 mi
Jun 15, 1965UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph52 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 Bleckley County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (15 policies)
12.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$6,203paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
2020costliest year, with $6,203 paid

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 Bleckley County

$149,600median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1984median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
43%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
26.9%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 5,288 housing units.

Compare in Georgia

All 159 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Fulton CountyHighInland flooding
Gwinnett CountyHighInland flooding
Cobb CountyHighInland flooding
DeKalb CountyModerateInland flooding
Clayton CountyModerateInland flooding
Chatham CountyHighHurricane
Cherokee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forsyth CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Houston CountyLow15
Laurens CountyLow17
Dodge CountyLow15
Pulaski CountyVery Low14
Wilkinson CountyVery Low14
Twiggs CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Bleckley County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Bleckley County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Bleckley County, about $1.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Bleckley County had?

Bleckley County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Bleckley County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 96th highest of 159 in Georgia. 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 Bleckley County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Bleckley 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 Bleckley County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Bleckley County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on January 24, 1958. The weather service has also logged 23 hail reports and 3 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Bleckley County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 6 hurricanes and 26 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bleckley County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 90 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.