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Montgomery County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
141st of 159highest risk in Georgia
$3Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Montgomery County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 92% of US counties. It ranks 141st of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $352 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $461,000 on 32 claims here.

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

Top risks in Montgomery County

$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$455,286 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$422,078 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 8 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low14.8
$1M
HurricaneLow70.5
$455K
TornadoLow32.0
$422K
DroughtLow63.3
$253K
Heat waveLow42.9
$192K
EarthquakeVery Low39.1
$106K
Strong windVery Low13.5
$81K
LightningLow28.2
$75K
Cold waveVery Low10.0
$54K
HailVery Low13.5
$32K
WildfireVery Low37.1
$16K
Ice stormVery Low16.7
$9K
Winter weatherVery Low3.0
$1K
LandslideVery Low3.6
$3

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 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 Montgomery County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane8
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Tropical Storm2
Flood1
Drought1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
May 11, 1984Severe Storms & TornadoesEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 14, 1966FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1963

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 100 storm reports in Montgomery County since 1963, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $1.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Kibbee.

6tornadoes
20hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
67damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 11, 2008EF3Kibbee0 / 0
Jan 5, 1972F2–0 / 0
Jan 20, 1963F2–0 / 0
Feb 28, 1966F2–0 / 0
May 3, 1984F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 5, 1972Tornado–$250K
May 3, 1984Tornado–$250K
Jun 22, 2000Thunderstorm WindMc Gregor$213K
Dec 25, 2006Thunderstorm WindTarrytown$100K
Jun 5, 2012HailAiley$66K
May 18, 2014HailMt Vernon$66K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 18, 2024. 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, 9 hurricanes and 44 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Montgomery County, 16 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 95 mph about 58 miles away.

9hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
44tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 95 mph58 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph54 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph58 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph62 mi
Sep 9, 1854UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 65 mph59 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph56 mi
Jun 13, 2006AlbertoTropical storm, 40 mph62 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 Montgomery County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (13 policies)
8.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$460,932paid on 32 flood claims since 1978
2020costliest year, with $128,905 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 Montgomery County

$115,500median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
40%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
35.7%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; 3,794 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
Toombs CountyVery Low21
Jeff Davis CountyVery Low18
Wheeler CountyVery Low16
Treutlen CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Montgomery County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Montgomery County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Montgomery County, about $1.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $455,286.

How many federal disasters has Montgomery County had?

Montgomery County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Montgomery County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 141st 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 Montgomery County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County had?

NOAA records list 6 tornadoes in Montgomery County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Kibbee. The weather service has also logged 20 hail reports and 5 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Montgomery County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 9 hurricanes and 44 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Montgomery County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 95 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.