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Early County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
69th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$8Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Early County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 57% of US counties. It ranks 69th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $784 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 25 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $901,000 on 40 claims here.

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

Top risks in Early County

Hurricane

Moderate
$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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
HurricaneModerate87.4
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low32.4
$2M
TornadoLow62.2
$1M
Cold waveLow48.8
$556K
DroughtModerate77.2
$480K
Strong windLow48.2
$323K
LightningLow44.0
$116K
Heat waveVery Low36.1
$116K
EarthquakeVery Low36.4
$75K
HailVery Low26.4
$62K
WildfireVery Low49.9
$29K
Winter weatherVery Low9.5
$4K
Ice stormVery Low5.0
$1K
LandslideVery Low10.9
$20

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Early County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm4
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Jan 25, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Show all 14
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 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 210 storm reports in Early County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 19 injuries and about $7.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 5, 1982.

39tornadoes
24hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
136damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 5, 1982F2–0 / 0
Jan 2, 2017EF2Sawhatchee0 / 0
Jan 2, 2017EF2Centerville0 / 0
Feb 15, 2021EF2Damascus5 / 0
Jan 9, 2024EF2Rowena0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 5, 1982Tornado–$3M
Dec 24, 2002TornadoBlakely$750K
Jun 15, 1994Thunderstorm WindBlakely$500K
Jan 2, 2017TornadoSawhatchee$500K
Jan 2, 2017TornadoCenterville$500K
Feb 15, 2021TornadoDamascus$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 18, 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, 11 hurricanes and 40 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Early County, 16 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 135 mph about 49 miles away.

11hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
40tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 4, 135 mph49 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph61 mi
Aug 23, 1851UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph62 mi
Oct 3, 1877UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph53 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateCategory 1, 90 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 16, 2021FredTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 4, 135 mph49 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Sep 6, 2004FrancesTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Sep 3, 1998EarlTropical storm, 70 mph59 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 Early County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (25 policies)
13.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$901,305paid on 40 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $370,256 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 Early County

$131,300median 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
27.5%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; 4,956 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 County, ALModerate26
Henry County, ALVery Low26
Seminole CountyVery Low11
Miller CountyVery Low13
Calhoun CountyVery Low13
Baker CountyVery Low18
Clay CountyVery Low13

Common questions about Early County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Early County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Early County, about $3.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Early County had?

Early County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Early County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 69th 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 Early County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Early 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 Early County had?

NOAA records list 39 tornadoes in Early County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 5, 1982. The weather service has also logged 24 hail reports and 10 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Early County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 40 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Early County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 135 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.