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Douglas County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
35th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$34Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Douglas County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 66% of US counties. It ranks 35th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $34 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $237 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (182 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $7.2 million on 215 claims here, including $5.5 million for floods in 2009.

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

Top risks in Douglas County

$18.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$7.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 8 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$2.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow70.5
$18M
TornadoModerate85.0
$7M
Cold waveModerate69.4
$3M
EarthquakeLow76.0
$2M
Strong windModerate67.7
$1M
HailModerate75.7
$975K
LightningModerate76.1
$852K
Heat waveLow58.7
$750K
Ice stormModerate74.9
$392K
HurricaneVery Low53.4
$143K
WildfireVery Low43.1
$43K
Winter weatherVery Low16.3
$18K
LandslideVery Low56.3
$3K

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 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 Douglas County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Hurricane5
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Jan 12, 2021Tropical Storm ZetaMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 23, 2008Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Show all 17
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
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 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 437 storm reports in Douglas County since 1954, with 7 deaths and 29 injuries and about $79 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 29, 1991.

10tornadoes
96hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
282damaging thunderstorm winds
24floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 29, 1991F2–2 / 0
Apr 5, 1985F1–16 / 0
Feb 10, 1990F1–0 / 0
Mar 7, 2008EF1Chapel Hill1 / 0
Feb 23, 1975F1–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 29, 1991Tornado–$25M
Sep 21, 2009FloodDglasvle Pinewood Ar$10M
Sep 21, 2009FloodDglasvle Pinewood Ar$9M
Mar 15, 2008HailWinston$5M
Jun 15, 2011HailWinston$3M
Apr 5, 1985Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 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 1852, 0 hurricanes and 10 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Douglas County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 65 mph about 50 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
10tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 65 mph50 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph54 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 65 mph50 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Sep 15, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph54 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 Douglas County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (182 policies)
62.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$7.2 millionpaid on 215 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $5.5 million 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 Douglas County

$296,900median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1996median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
25%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.5%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; 56,187 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
Fulton CountyHigh20
Cobb CountyHigh18
Paulding CountyLow18
Carroll CountyLow21

Cities in Douglas County

Common questions about Douglas County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Douglas County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Douglas County, about $18.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Douglas County had?

Douglas County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Douglas County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 35th 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 Douglas County?

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

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Douglas County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 29, 1991. The weather service has also logged 96 hail reports and 24 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Douglas County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 10 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Douglas County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with winds near 65 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.