Charlton County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Charlton County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 94th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $5.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $436 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 28 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.2 million on 39 claims here, including $512,000 for floods in 2012.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Charlton 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 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 88.0 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 16.2 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 27.2 | $257K | ||
| Heat wave | 46.1 | $188K | ||
| Wildfire | 72.2 | $125K | ||
| Lightning | 42.1 | $106K | ||
| Strong wind | 17.8 | $94K | ||
| Earthquake | 35.8 | $71K | ||
| Cold wave | 9.5 | $42K | ||
| Hail | 7.3 | $13K | ||
| Ice storm | 21.4 | $11K | ||
| Drought | 19.5 | $2K | ||
| Winter weather | 4.2 | $2K | ||
| Coastal flooding | 18.4 | $73 | ||
| Landslide | 7.4 | $9 |
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 Charlton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
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 217 storm reports in Charlton County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $753,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on December 24, 2002 near Winokur.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24, 2002 | F1 | Winokur | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 1961 | F1 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 7, 2008 | EF1 | Clarking | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 2002 | F0 | Folkston | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 2, 1996 | F0 | Mattox | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Folkston | $185K |
| Oct 7, 1996 | Flash Flood | Folkston | $160K |
| Dec 24, 2002 | Tornado | Winokur | $100K |
| Jul 21, 2019 | Lightning | Folkston | $100K |
| Dec 24, 2002 | Tornado | Folkston | $50K |
| Sep 30, 1996 | Flash Flood | Folkston | $15K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 23, 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 1867, 12 hurricanes and 60 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Charlton County, 26 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 60 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 4, 1979 | David | Category 1, 95 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 11, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 1, 95 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Dora | Category 1, 90 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2024 | Debby | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Mindy | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 14, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 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 Charlton 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 Charlton 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; 4,755 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nassau County, FL | 38 | |
| Camden County | 19 | |
| Ware County | 22 | |
| Baker County, FL | 38 | |
| Brantley County | 21 |
Common questions about Charlton County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Charlton County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Charlton County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Charlton County had?
Charlton County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Is Charlton County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 94th 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 Charlton County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Charlton 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 Charlton County had?
NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Charlton County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on December 24, 2002 near Winokur. The weather service has also logged 50 hail reports and 8 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Charlton County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 60 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Charlton County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, 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.