Hall County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Hall County, Georgia has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 10th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $57 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $280 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (93 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $733,000 on 46 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Hall 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.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 86.2 | $30M | ||
| Tornado | 94.1 | $11M | ||
| Cold wave | 87.4 | $6M | ||
| Earthquake | 84.3 | $3M | ||
| Lightning | 92.4 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 86.1 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 70.6 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 66.4 | $844K | ||
| Ice storm | 82.4 | $540K | ||
| Hurricane | 66.9 | $472K | ||
| Drought | 40.6 | $76K | ||
| Wildfire | 50.4 | $53K | ||
| Winter weather | 34.2 | $39K | ||
| Landslide | 82.6 | $24K |
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 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 Hall County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
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 452 storm reports in Hall County since 1954, with 12 deaths and 151 injuries and about $50.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 20, 1998 near Murrayville.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | F3 | Murrayville | 96 / 10 |
| Dec 13, 1973 | F3 | – | 21 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | Tornado | Murrayville | $15M |
| Feb 21, 1993 | Tornado | Oakwood To | $5M |
| Jun 26, 1994 | Tornado | Murrayville; 4W Clerm | $5M |
| Apr 6, 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Flowery Branch | $3M |
| Dec 13, 1973 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 24, 2021 | Hail | Murrayville | $2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 26, 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 1859, 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hall County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Helene (2024), with top winds near 60 mph about 60 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 3, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 16, 1859 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 5, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 8, 1896 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 3, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 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 Hall 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 Hall 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; 80,926 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gwinnett County | 13 | |
| Forsyth County | 16 | |
| Barrow County | 13 | |
| Jackson County | 13 | |
| Habersham County | 19 | |
| Lumpkin County | 22 | |
| White County | 20 | |
| Dawson County | 18 |
Cities in Hall County
Common questions about Hall County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Hall County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hall County, about $30.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $11.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Hall County had?
Hall County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Hall County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 10th 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 Hall County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Hall 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 Hall County had?
NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Hall County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 20, 1998 near Murrayville. The weather service has also logged 141 hail reports and 26 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Hall County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Hall 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.