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Lee County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
90th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$12Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 53homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Lee County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 71% of US counties. It ranks 90th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $374 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (218 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $17 million on 700 claims here, including $6.8 million for floods in 1994.

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

Top risks in Lee County

$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow35.1
$5M
TornadoModerate66.4
$3M
HurricaneLow74.8
$1M
Cold waveLow37.3
$753K
DroughtModerate67.5
$574K
LightningLow55.3
$362K
Heat waveLow43.3
$343K
Strong windLow23.4
$278K
EarthquakeVery Low45.6
$278K
HailVery Low31.2
$163K
WildfireVery Low60.2
$108K
Winter weatherVery Low12.3
$13K
Ice stormVery Low6.8
$4K
LandslideVery Low5.3
$11

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 Lee County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane5
Severe Storm3
Tropical Storm2
Flood1
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
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Show all 13
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 14, 1966FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 245 storm reports in Lee County since 1952, with 3 deaths and 34 injuries and about $52.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on October 30, 1993 near Albany To.

15tornadoes
36hail reports, largest 2 inches
157damaging thunderstorm winds
34floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 30, 1993F2Albany To27 / 3
Aug 4, 1966F2–0 / 0
Dec 25, 1969F2–7 / 0
Apr 14, 2007EF1Leesburg0 / 0
May 3, 1984F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 30, 1993TornadoAlbany To$50M
Apr 14, 2007TornadoLeesburg$500K
May 3, 1984Tornado–$250K
Dec 24, 2002Thunderstorm WindSouthwest Portion$250K
Dec 24, 2015FloodSmithville$250K
Mar 18, 2021TornadoCentury$250K

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, 8 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Lee County, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 115 mph about 65 miles away.

8hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
31tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph65 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 95 mph63 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph54 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph53 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateCategory 1, 80 mph52 mi
Jun 21, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 95 mph63 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph65 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Oct 6, 2005TammyTropical storm, 35 mph50 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Sep 6, 2004FrancesTropical storm, 40 mph63 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 Lee County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (218 policies)
44.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$16.7 millionpaid on 700 flood claims since 1978
1994costliest year, with $6.8 million 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 Lee County

$231,800median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1998median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
15%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.2%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; 13,012 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
Dougherty CountyModerate16
Sumter CountyLow13
Worth CountyVery Low18
Crisp CountyLow15
Terrell CountyVery Low9

Common questions about Lee County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Lee County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lee County, about $5.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Lee County had?

Lee County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Lee County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 90th 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 Lee County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Lee 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 Lee County had?

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Lee County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on October 30, 1993 near Albany To. The weather service has also logged 36 hail reports and 34 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Lee County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 8 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Lee County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 115 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.