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Bryan County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
32nd of 159highest risk in Georgia
$33Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 5homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Bryan County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 67% of US counties. It ranks 32nd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $33 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $743 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). About 1 in 5 homes here carry federal flood insurance (3,060 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.8 million on 285 claims here, including $2.9 million for floods in 2024.

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

Top risks in Bryan County

$21.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.
$6.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneHigh93.9
$21M
Inland floodingLow41.8
$7M
TornadoLow40.6
$1M
Heat waveLow67.1
$1M
Coastal floodingModerate63.8
$897K
EarthquakeLow63.2
$699K
WildfireLow80.0
$526K
Cold waveLow27.9
$478K
Strong windVery Low16.2
$178K
LightningLow35.8
$175K
HailVery Low18.6
$84K
Winter weatherVery Low17.8
$20K
DroughtVery Low20.7
$6K
Ice stormVery Low8.2
$5K
LandslideVery Low12.8
$57

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

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane9
Tropical Storm3
Severe Storm2
Flood1
Freezing1
Drought1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 1, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 19
May 31, 2007Harveytown FireFire management
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 14, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 19, 1994Heavy Rains, Tornados, Flooding, High WindsMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Jun 2, 1977Shrimp Loss Due to Cold WeatherMajor disaster
Mar 14, 1966FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 221 storm reports in Bryan County since 1956, with 3 deaths and 29 injuries and about $2.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on April 5, 2022 near Reka.

8tornadoes
65hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
132damaging thunderstorm winds
15floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 5, 2022EF4Reka12 / 1
Apr 9, 1998F3Pembroke16 / 2
Aug 21, 1980F1–0 / 0
Apr 9, 1998F1Richmond Hill0 / 0
Jul 5, 1979F0–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 9, 1998TornadoPembroke$2M
Jun 26, 2009Thunderstorm WindKeller$50K
Aug 21, 1980Tornado–$25K
Jul 6, 1995Thunderstorm WindBlitchton$20K
Sep 2, 2007Flash FloodRichmond Hill$10K
Aug 11, 2007Thunderstorm WindPembroke$10K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 18, 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 1852, 20 hurricanes and 60 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bryan County, 28 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Gracie (1959), with top winds near 130 mph about 64 miles away.

20hurricanes
3major hurricanes (Category 3+)
60tropical storms
2024most recent: Debby

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 29, 1959GracieCategory 4, 130 mph64 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph55 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph65 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph62 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph51 mi
Aug 25, 1885UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 6, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 65 mph52 mi
Jul 1, 2022ColinTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Jun 28, 2021DannyTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph65 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 Bryan County

Check your address flood zone ›
20.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (3,060 policies)
92.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$5.8 millionpaid on 285 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $2.9 million 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 Bryan County

$343,200median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
2005median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
9%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.5%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; 17,957 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
Chatham CountyHigh17
Bulloch CountyLow20
Liberty CountyModerate16
Effingham CountyLow15
Evans CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Bryan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Bryan County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Bryan County, about $21.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $6.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Bryan County had?

Bryan County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Bryan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 32nd 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 Bryan County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 5 homes in Bryan 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 Bryan County had?

NOAA records list 8 tornadoes in Bryan County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on April 5, 2022 near Reka. The weather service has also logged 65 hail reports and 15 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Bryan County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 20 hurricanes and 60 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bryan County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Gracie (1959), with winds near 130 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.