Mitchell County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Mitchell County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 63% of US counties. It ranks 40th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $711 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 67 homes here carry federal flood insurance (142 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.1 million on 100 claims here, including $792,000 for floods in 1998.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Mitchell 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 | 89.8 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 52.8 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 81.6 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 61.9 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 78.2 | $559K | ||
| Strong wind | 47.6 | $342K | ||
| Hail | 60.1 | $256K | ||
| Lightning | 62.5 | $245K | ||
| Heat wave | 48.4 | $232K | ||
| Earthquake | 47.4 | $163K | ||
| Wildfire | 56.1 | $45K | ||
| Winter weather | 20.2 | $12K | ||
| Ice storm | 14.6 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 11.2 | $22 |
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 low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Mitchell County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
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 320 storm reports in Mitchell County since 1952, with 17 deaths and 401 injuries and about $46.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 13, 2000 near Camilla.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2000 | F3 | Camilla | 175 / 11 |
| Mar 20, 2003 | F3 | Camilla | 200 / 4 |
| Feb 14, 2000 | F3 | Camilla | 1 / 1 |
| Mar 2, 2007 | EF2 | Baconton | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | – | 15 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2000 | Tornado | Camilla | $22M |
| Jan 2, 2017 | Tornado | Baconton | $8M |
| Mar 20, 2003 | Tornado | Camilla | $6M |
| Mar 2, 2007 | Tornado | Baconton | $3M |
| Jan 12, 1975 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Feb 14, 2000 | Tornado | Camilla | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 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, 13 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Mitchell County, 19 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 125 mph about 52 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 125 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 3, 120 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 51 mi |
| Oct 9, 1852 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 65 mi |
| Jun 21, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 54 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 3, 120 mph | 61 mi |
| Nov 11, 2022 | Nicole | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Mindy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 3, 125 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 2, 2016 | Hermine | Category 1, 75 mph | 62 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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; 9,028 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 | |
| Colquitt County | 19 | |
| Thomas County | 19 | |
| Decatur County | 18 | |
| Grady County | 16 | |
| Worth County | 18 | |
| Baker County | 18 |
Common questions about Mitchell County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Mitchell County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Mitchell County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Mitchell County had?
Mitchell County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Mitchell County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 40th 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 Mitchell County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 67 homes in Mitchell 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 Mitchell County had?
NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Mitchell County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 13, 2000 near Camilla. The weather service has also logged 30 hail reports and 36 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Mitchell County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 13 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Mitchell County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 125 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.