Home › Georgia › Forsyth County

Forsyth County, Georgia

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
8th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$90Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Forsyth County, Georgia has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 86% of US counties. It ranks 8th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $90 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $357 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (226 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $928,000 on 66 claims here.

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

Top risks in Forsyth County

$57.8 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.
$16 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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
$5.4 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 floodingModerate90.0
$58M
TornadoHigh94.3
$16M
Cold waveModerate79.8
$5M
EarthquakeLow82.8
$3M
HailModerate87.5
$2M
Strong windModerate71.0
$1M
LightningHigh86.6
$1M
Heat waveLow63.5
$1M
Ice stormModerate79.8
$599K
HurricaneVery Low55.7
$192K
WildfireVery Low48.3
$65K
Winter weatherLow27.8
$40K
LandslideLow74.0
$13K

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Tornado1
Drought1

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
Apr 20, 2015Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Show all 16
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 5, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1959

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 338 storm reports in Forsyth County since 1959, with 3 deaths and 16 injuries and about $38.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 2, 1970.

10tornadoes
109hail reports, largest 4 inches
153damaging thunderstorm winds
29floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 2, 1970F3–0 / 0
Mar 13, 1975F1–1 / 0
Apr 10, 2009EF1Dunn0 / 0
Mar 7, 1975F1–0 / 0
Mar 12, 2026EF1Cumming Mathis Arpt0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 22, 2020HailDrew$5M
Mar 15, 2012HailCumming$5M
Apr 11, 2013HailHeardville$5M
Mar 15, 2008HailCoal Mtn$3M
Jun 12, 2007HailCumming$3M
Mar 15, 2008HailDrew$3M

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 1859, 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Forsyth County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with top winds near 60 mph about 59 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
8tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 60 mph59 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph47 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Sep 16, 1859UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph50 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 60 mph59 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph47 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Sep 5, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Jul 8, 1896UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph58 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 Forsyth County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (226 policies)
62.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$928,252paid on 66 flood claims since 1978
2020costliest year, with $432,610 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 Forsyth County

$550,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
2004median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
7%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.5%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; 92,575 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
Gwinnett CountyHigh13
Cherokee CountyModerate18
Hall CountyModerate18
Dawson CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Forsyth County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Forsyth County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Forsyth County, about $57.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $16 million.

How many federal disasters has Forsyth County had?

Forsyth County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Forsyth County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 8th 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 Forsyth County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Forsyth 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 Forsyth County had?

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Forsyth County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 2, 1970. The weather service has also logged 109 hail reports and 29 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Forsyth County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Forsyth County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), 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.