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Colquitt County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
24th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$20Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Colquitt County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 24th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $435 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (66 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.3 million on 64 claims here, including $442,000 for floods in 1985.

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

Top risks in Colquitt County

$6.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$6.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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
Inland floodingLow59.6
$6M
HurricaneModerate90.9
$6M
TornadoModerate85.4
$4M
Cold waveModerate69.0
$1M
Strong windModerate62.9
$541K
LightningModerate81.6
$534K
DroughtModerate75.2
$483K
Heat waveLow61.7
$424K
HailLow62.5
$284K
EarthquakeVery Low56.5
$266K
WildfireLow69.0
$112K
Winter weatherLow33.8
$24K
Ice stormVery Low20.3
$11K
LandslideVery Low6.8
$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 Colquitt County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane8
Severe Storm4
Tropical Storm4
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Tornado1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Show all 19
Jan 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Feb 15, 2000Severe Storms/TornadosMajor disaster
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

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

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 350 storm reports in Colquitt County since 1951, with 6 deaths and 36 injuries and about $11.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on October 1, 1989.

38tornadoes
59hail reports, largest 4 inches
227damaging thunderstorm winds
16floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 1, 1989F2–12 / 2
Feb 14, 2000F2Crosland0 / 1
Dec 15, 2022EF2Ticknor0 / 0
Jan 22, 1952F2–8 / 0
May 23, 1951F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 1, 1989Tornado–$3M
Jan 13, 2006TornadoNorman Park$2M
Jul 11, 2005Flash FloodCountywide$1M
Dec 15, 2022TornadoTicknor$1M
Sep 29, 1998TornadoAutreyville$550K
Feb 14, 2000TornadoCrosland$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 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, 18 hurricanes and 39 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Colquitt County, 20 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 130 mph about 64 miles away.

18hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
39tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 3, 130 mph64 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph62 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 100 mph60 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph65 mi
Oct 9, 1852UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph64 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 3, 130 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 100 mph60 mi
Nov 11, 2022NicoleTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Sep 9, 2021MindyTropical storm, 45 mph60 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph62 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 Colquitt County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (66 policies)
11.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.3 millionpaid on 64 flood claims since 1978
1985costliest year, with $442,189 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 Colquitt County

$121,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
24.4%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; 19,401 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
Thomas CountyLow19
Tift CountyLow18
Mitchell CountyLow17
Worth CountyVery Low18
Cook CountyVery Low16
Brooks CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Colquitt County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Colquitt County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Colquitt County, about $6.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $6.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Colquitt County had?

Colquitt County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Colquitt County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 24th 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 Colquitt County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Colquitt 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 Colquitt County had?

NOAA records list 38 tornadoes in Colquitt County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on October 1, 1989. The weather service has also logged 59 hail reports and 16 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Colquitt County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 18 hurricanes and 39 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Colquitt County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), 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.