Grady County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Grady County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 53% of US counties. It ranks 53rd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $507 per resident. Since 1977 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). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $168,000 on 13 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Grady County
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 88.1 | $4M | ||
| Inland flooding | 40.7 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 76.1 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 68.0 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 67.1 | $340K | ||
| Heat wave | 51.1 | $300K | ||
| Drought | 60.4 | $221K | ||
| Strong wind | 29.5 | $220K | ||
| Hail | 28.4 | $84K | ||
| Wildfire | 62.7 | $78K | ||
| Earthquake | 31.5 | $67K | ||
| Winter weather | 15.8 | $10K | ||
| Ice storm | 5.4 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 18.1 | $71 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Grady County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 232 storm reports in Grady County since 1955, with 7 deaths and 33 injuries and about $22.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 14, 2000 near Cairo.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 14, 2000 | F3 | Cairo | 15 / 6 |
| Apr 29, 1971 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2001 | F2 | Whigham | 9 / 0 |
| Feb 19, 2009 | EF2 | Princes Still | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF2 | Cairo | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2008 | Flash Flood | Beachton | $9M |
| Feb 14, 2000 | Tornado | Cairo | $7M |
| Apr 29, 1971 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 15, 2001 | Tornado | Whigham | $1M |
| Feb 19, 2009 | Tornado | Princes Still | $1M |
| Mar 3, 2019 | Tornado | Cairo | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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, 14 hurricanes and 48 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Grady County, 24 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 135 mph about 53 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 4, 135 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 4, 135 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 2, 110 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 23, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 9, 1852 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 21, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 4, 135 mph | 62 mi |
| Nov 10, 2022 | Nicole | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Mindy | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 56 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 4, 135 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 54 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 Grady 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 Grady 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; 11,645 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Leon County, FL | 35 | |
| Thomas County | 19 | |
| Gadsden County, FL | 39 | |
| Decatur County | 18 | |
| Mitchell County | 17 |
Common questions about Grady County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Grady County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Grady County, about $4.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Grady County had?
Grady County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Grady County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 53rd 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 Grady County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Grady 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 Grady County had?
NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Grady County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 14, 2000 near Cairo. The weather service has also logged 23 hail reports and 10 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Grady County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 14 hurricanes and 48 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Grady County, including 2 major hurricanes (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.