Calhoun County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Calhoun County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 84% of US counties. It ranks 121st of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, drought and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $3.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $683 per resident. Since 1994 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 5 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 Calhoun 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 local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 78.7 | $963K | ||
| Drought | 86.6 | $810K | ||
| Inland flooding | 7.7 | $639K | ||
| Tornado | 43.0 | $586K | ||
| Cold wave | 43.2 | $448K | ||
| Hail | 35.5 | $90K | ||
| Strong wind | 15.9 | $82K | ||
| Heat wave | 25.6 | $62K | ||
| Lightning | 27.6 | $60K | ||
| Earthquake | 31.9 | $55K | ||
| Wildfire | 29.3 | $8K | ||
| Winter weather | 5.2 | $2K | ||
| Ice storm | 4.1 | $1K | ||
| Landslide | 3.9 | $3 |
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 high 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 Calhoun County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 89 storm reports in Calhoun County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 10 injuries and about $4.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on January 22, 2017 near Moye.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF2 | Moye | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 7, 2016 | EF2 | Moye | 5 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 19, 1974 | F1 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF1 | Arlington | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Dec 24, 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $500K |
| Jul 11, 2005 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $500K |
| Jan 2, 2017 | Tornado | Leary | $250K |
| Jul 21, 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arlington | $250K |
| Jan 22, 2017 | Tornado | Moye | $200K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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, 11 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Calhoun County, 13 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 125 mph about 50 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 125 mph | 50 mi |
| Aug 23, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 31, 1856 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 59 mi |
| Nov 22, 1985 | Kate | Category 1, 85 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 3, 1877 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 125 mph | 50 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 27, 2004 | Jeanne | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 6, 2004 | Frances | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 3, 1998 | Earl | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 58 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun 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; 2,030 housing units.
Compare in Georgia
All 159 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | Inland flooding | |
| Gwinnett County | Inland flooding | |
| Cobb County | Inland flooding | |
| DeKalb County | Inland flooding | |
| Clayton County | Inland flooding | |
| Chatham County | Hurricane | |
| Cherokee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Dougherty County | 16 | |
| Early County | 14 | |
| Terrell County | 9 | |
| Randolph County | 11 | |
| Baker County | 18 | |
| Clay County | 13 |
Common questions about Calhoun County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Calhoun County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Calhoun County, about $963,323 a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $809,915.
How many federal disasters has Calhoun County had?
Calhoun County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1994, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Calhoun County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 121st 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 Calhoun County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County had?
NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Calhoun County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on January 22, 2017 near Moye. The weather service has also logged 7 hail reports and 5 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Calhoun County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Calhoun County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 125 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.