Lee County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 35.1 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 66.4 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 74.8 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 37.3 | $753K | ||
| Drought | 67.5 | $574K | ||
| Lightning | 55.3 | $362K | ||
| Heat wave | 43.3 | $343K | ||
| Strong wind | 23.4 | $278K | ||
| Earthquake | 45.6 | $278K | ||
| Hail | 31.2 | $163K | ||
| Wildfire | 60.2 | $108K | ||
| Winter weather | 12.3 | $13K | ||
| Ice storm | 6.8 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 5.3 | $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
Most recent
Show all 13
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1993 | F2 | Albany To | 27 / 3 |
| Aug 4, 1966 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 25, 1969 | F2 | – | 7 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 2007 | EF1 | Leesburg | 0 / 0 |
| May 3, 1984 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1993 | Tornado | Albany To | $50M |
| Apr 14, 2007 | Tornado | Leesburg | $500K |
| May 3, 1984 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Dec 24, 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Southwest Portion | $250K |
| Dec 24, 2015 | Flood | Smithville | $250K |
| Mar 18, 2021 | Tornado | Century | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 115 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 95 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 54 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 53 mi |
| Nov 22, 1985 | Kate | Category 1, 80 mph | 52 mi |
| Jun 21, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 95 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 115 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 6, 2005 | Tammy | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 50 mi |
| Sep 27, 2004 | Jeanne | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 6, 2004 | Frances | 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 Lee 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 Lee 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; 13,012 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dougherty County | 16 | |
| Sumter County | 13 | |
| Worth County | 18 | |
| Crisp County | 15 | |
| Terrell County | 9 |
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.