Colquitt County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 59.6 | $6M | ||
| Hurricane | 90.9 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 85.4 | $4M | ||
| Cold wave | 69.0 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 62.9 | $541K | ||
| Lightning | 81.6 | $534K | ||
| Drought | 75.2 | $483K | ||
| Heat wave | 61.7 | $424K | ||
| Hail | 62.5 | $284K | ||
| Earthquake | 56.5 | $266K | ||
| Wildfire | 69.0 | $112K | ||
| Winter weather | 33.8 | $24K | ||
| Ice storm | 20.3 | $11K | ||
| Landslide | 6.8 | $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
Most recent
Show all 19
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 1989 | F2 | – | 12 / 2 |
| Feb 14, 2000 | F2 | Crosland | 0 / 1 |
| Dec 15, 2022 | EF2 | Ticknor | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 22, 1952 | F2 | – | 8 / 0 |
| May 23, 1951 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jan 13, 2006 | Tornado | Norman Park | $2M |
| Jul 11, 2005 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $1M |
| Dec 15, 2022 | Tornado | Ticknor | $1M |
| Sep 29, 1998 | Tornado | Autreyville | $550K |
| Feb 14, 2000 | Tornado | Crosland | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 3, 130 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 115 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 2, 100 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 9, 1852 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 3, 130 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 2, 100 mph | 60 mi |
| Nov 11, 2022 | Nicole | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Mindy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 56 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 115 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 Colquitt 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 Colquitt 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; 19,401 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas County | 19 | |
| Tift County | 18 | |
| Mitchell County | 17 | |
| Worth County | 18 | |
| Cook County | 16 | |
| Brooks County | 18 |
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.