Montgomery County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 14.8 | $1M | ||
| Hurricane | 70.5 | $455K | ||
| Tornado | 32.0 | $422K | ||
| Drought | 63.3 | $253K | ||
| Heat wave | 42.9 | $192K | ||
| Earthquake | 39.1 | $106K | ||
| Strong wind | 13.5 | $81K | ||
| Lightning | 28.2 | $75K | ||
| Cold wave | 10.0 | $54K | ||
| Hail | 13.5 | $32K | ||
| Wildfire | 37.1 | $16K | ||
| Ice storm | 16.7 | $9K | ||
| Winter weather | 3.0 | $1K | ||
| Landslide | 3.6 | $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
Most recent
Show all 19
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | Kibbee | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 5, 1972 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 20, 1963 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 28, 1966 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 3, 1984 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 5, 1972 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 3, 1984 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 22, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mc Gregor | $213K |
| Dec 25, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tarrytown | $100K |
| Jun 5, 2012 | Hail | Ailey | $66K |
| May 18, 2014 | Hail | Mt 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 1, 95 mph | 58 mi |
| Oct 15, 1947 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 90 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 28, 1881 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 58 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 9, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 90 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 2, 2016 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 mi |
| Jun 13, 2006 | Alberto | Tropical storm, 40 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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; 3,794 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Toombs County | 21 | |
| Jeff Davis County | 18 | |
| Wheeler County | 16 | |
| Treutlen County | 17 |
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.