McIntosh County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
McIntosh County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 67% of US counties. It ranks 33rd of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $17 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,542 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). About 1 in 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance (569 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.0 million on 66 claims here, including $868,000 for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in McIntosh 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.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 94.7 | $13M | ||
| Inland flooding | 18.1 | $1M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 70.2 | $722K | ||
| Wildfire | 87.2 | $589K | ||
| Heat wave | 49.8 | $240K | ||
| Strong wind | 35.0 | $229K | ||
| Earthquake | 49.3 | $174K | ||
| Tornado | 18.4 | $138K | ||
| Cold wave | 16.1 | $108K | ||
| Lightning | 32.3 | $78K | ||
| Hail | 18.7 | $43K | ||
| Ice storm | 37.1 | $30K | ||
| Winter weather | 8.8 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 12.3 | $26 |
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 high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included McIntosh County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 20
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 210 storm reports in McIntosh County since 1959, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries and about $12.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Darien Eden Fld.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF4 | Darien Eden Fld | 9 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2009 | EF1 | Pine Harbor | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 21, 1969 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 28, 1959 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 7, 1995 | F0 | Townsend | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | Tornado | Darien Eden Fld | $13M |
| Jun 18, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Belleview Pt | $70K |
| Jun 25, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darien | $50K |
| Apr 13, 2009 | Tornado | Pine Harbor | $35K |
| Apr 5, 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Eulonia | $35K |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Flash Flood | Darien | $25K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 7, 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 1853, 22 hurricanes and 57 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of McIntosh County, 27 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 13, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 8, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 28, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 8, 2016 | Matthew | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 2024 | Debby | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 53 mi |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 8, 2016 | Matthew | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 14, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 2, 2016 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 55 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 McIntosh 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 McIntosh 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; 6,850 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Glynn County | 18 | |
| Liberty County | 16 | |
| Wayne County | 17 | |
| Long County | 16 |
Common questions about McIntosh County
What is the biggest natural hazard in McIntosh County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in McIntosh County, about $13.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has McIntosh County had?
McIntosh County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Is McIntosh County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 33rd 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 McIntosh County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 13 homes in McIntosh 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 McIntosh County had?
NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in McIntosh County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Darien Eden Fld. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 6 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit McIntosh County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 22 hurricanes and 57 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of McIntosh County, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 130 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.