Home › Georgia › Dooly County

Dooly County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
122nd of 159highest risk in Georgia
$6Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Dooly County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 85% of US counties. It ranks 122nd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $6.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $542 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 24 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $323,000 on 19 claims here.

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

Top risks in Dooly County

$1.9 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.

Drought

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 50 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low15.6
$2M
DroughtModerate90.6
$2M
HurricaneLow75.1
$1M
TornadoLow28.9
$480K
Heat waveLow42.0
$258K
Strong windLow21.3
$196K
EarthquakeVery Low38.9
$145K
HailVery Low33.7
$140K
LightningLow24.3
$87K
Cold waveVery Low6.4
$34K
WildfireVery Low42.7
$31K
Ice stormVery Low4.2
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low2.2
$1K
LandslideVery Low5.7
$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 relatively low 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 Dooly County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Severe Storm4
Drought1
Tornado1
Tropical Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Sep 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Show all 15
Apr 20, 1999Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 174 storm reports in Dooly County since 1956, with 1 death and 57 injuries and about $16 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 31, 1961.

21tornadoes
36hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
101damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 31, 1961F3–14 / 1
Apr 15, 1999F3Drayton28 / 0
Apr 23, 1971F3–0 / 0
Dec 31, 2006F2Unadilla1 / 0
Mar 13, 1975F2–5 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 15, 1999TornadoDrayton$10M
Mar 31, 1961Tornado–$3M
Apr 10, 2009TornadoDrayton$600K
Dec 31, 2006TornadoUnadilla$400K
Mar 27, 2005Flash FloodCountywide$300K
Apr 23, 1971Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 12, 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, 9 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Dooly County, 11 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 90 mph about 61 miles away.

9hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
27tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph61 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph51 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph56 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph56 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph60 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateCategory 1, 80 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph51 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph61 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Oct 6, 2005TammyTropical storm, 35 mph53 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi
Sep 3, 1998EarlTropical storm, 50 mph60 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 Dooly County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (24 policies)
9.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$323,142paid on 19 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $127,200 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 Dooly County

$107,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1983median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
45%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
31.3%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; 4,778 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
Houston CountyLow15
Sumter CountyLow13
Crisp CountyLow15
Macon CountyVery Low14
Pulaski CountyVery Low14
Wilcox CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Dooly County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dooly County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Dooly County, about $1.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Dooly County had?

Dooly County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Dooly County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 122nd 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 Dooly County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Dooly 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 Dooly County had?

NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Dooly County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 31, 1961. The weather service has also logged 36 hail reports and 11 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Dooly County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 9 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Dooly County. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 90 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.