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Catoosa County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
38th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$27Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 111homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Catoosa County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 65% of US counties. It ranks 38th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $27 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $403 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (237 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.6 million on 324 claims here.

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

Top risks in Catoosa County

$12.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$5.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$5.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow65.0
$12M
TornadoModerate84.5
$6M
Cold waveModerate84.4
$5M
EarthquakeLow78.7
$2M
Strong windModerate65.3
$949K
LightningModerate65.7
$473K
Heat waveLow41.9
$284K
HailLow42.0
$216K
DroughtLow51.0
$175K
Winter weatherModerate67.1
$132K
Ice stormLow54.4
$116K
HurricaneVery Low47.0
$63K
WildfireVery Low37.5
$25K
LandslideLow73.2
$9K

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

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm4
Hurricane4
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Show all 16
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 31, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding, and Severe StormsMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 4, 1973Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 209 storm reports in Catoosa County since 1961, with 8 deaths and 34 injuries and about $30.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Blue Spring.

7tornadoes
48hail reports, largest 3 inches
127damaging thunderstorm winds
18floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 27, 2011EF4Blue Spring30 / 8
Mar 8, 1961F2–0 / 0
Oct 6, 2014EF1Copeland0 / 0
Apr 12, 2020EF1Cloud Springs0 / 0
Nov 22, 1992F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 27, 2011TornadoBlue Spring$25M
May 6, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$1M
Sep 21, 2009FloodLakeview$1M
Sep 21, 2009FloodLakeview$340K
Sep 20, 2009Flash FloodLakeview$340K
Oct 6, 2014TornadoCopeland$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 17, 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 1915, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Catoosa County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with top winds near 60 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph57 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 Catoosa County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (237 policies)
22.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$5.6 millionpaid on 324 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $1.4 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 Catoosa County

$240,900median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
34%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
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; 28,567 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
Hamilton County, TNModerate23
Whitfield CountyModerate15
Walker CountyLow18

Common questions about Catoosa County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Catoosa County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Catoosa County, about $12.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Catoosa County had?

Catoosa County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Catoosa County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 38th 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 Catoosa County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Catoosa 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 Catoosa County had?

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Catoosa County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Blue Spring. The weather service has also logged 48 hail reports and 18 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Catoosa County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Catoosa County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with winds near 60 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.