Catoosa County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 65.0 | $12M | ||
| Tornado | 84.5 | $6M | ||
| Cold wave | 84.4 | $5M | ||
| Earthquake | 78.7 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 65.3 | $949K | ||
| Lightning | 65.7 | $473K | ||
| Heat wave | 41.9 | $284K | ||
| Hail | 42.0 | $216K | ||
| Drought | 51.0 | $175K | ||
| Winter weather | 67.1 | $132K | ||
| Ice storm | 54.4 | $116K | ||
| Hurricane | 47.0 | $63K | ||
| Wildfire | 37.5 | $25K | ||
| Landslide | 73.2 | $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
Most recent
Show all 16
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | Blue Spring | 30 / 8 |
| Mar 8, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 6, 2014 | EF1 | Copeland | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF1 | Cloud Springs | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | Tornado | Blue Spring | $25M |
| May 6, 2003 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $1M |
| Sep 21, 2009 | Flood | Lakeview | $1M |
| Sep 21, 2009 | Flood | Lakeview | $340K |
| Sep 20, 2009 | Flash Flood | Lakeview | $340K |
| Oct 6, 2014 | Tornado | Copeland | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County, TN | 23 | |
| Whitfield County | 15 | |
| Walker County | 18 |
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.