Fannin County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Fannin County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 56% of US counties. It ranks 45th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $570 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 59 homes here carry federal flood insurance (291 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $850,000 on 92 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Fannin 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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 | 66.1 | $9M | ||
| Cold wave | 74.3 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 63.9 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 72.4 | $709K | ||
| Strong wind | 53.0 | $458K | ||
| Lightning | 61.7 | $270K | ||
| Wildfire | 76.3 | $222K | ||
| Drought | 59.4 | $207K | ||
| Hail | 43.2 | $154K | ||
| Hurricane | 58.7 | $139K | ||
| Landslide | 95.7 | $120K | ||
| Ice storm | 49.1 | $62K | ||
| Winter weather | 26.8 | $19K | ||
| Heat wave | 6.0 | $6K |
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 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 Fannin County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 191 storm reports in Fannin County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries and about $9.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Jan 30, 2013 | EF1 | Higdon | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 8, 1961 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1985 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 3, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 26, 2011 | Hail | Blue Ridge | $1M |
| Aug 13, 2005 | Flash Flood | Mc Caysville | $300K |
| Mar 20, 2004 | Hail | Blue Ridge | $250K |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Tornado | Loving | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 2025. 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 1915, 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Fannin County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with top winds near 60 mph about 43 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 43 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 48 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 48 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 43 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 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 Fannin 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 Fannin 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; 18,490 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Murray County | 14 | |
| Lumpkin County | 22 | |
| Gilmer County | 19 | |
| Cherokee County, NC | 14 | |
| Dawson County | 18 | |
| Union County | 15 | |
| Polk County, TN | 21 |
Common questions about Fannin County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Fannin County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fannin County, about $8.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2 million.
How many federal disasters has Fannin County had?
Fannin County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Fannin County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 45th 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 Fannin County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 59 homes in Fannin 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 Fannin County had?
NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Fannin County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 42 hail reports and 22 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Fannin County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Fannin County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with winds near 60 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.