Muscogee County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Muscogee County, Georgia has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 82% of US counties. It ranks 15th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $39 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $189 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (472 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.3 million on 243 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Muscogee 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
- 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 | 87.3 | $26M | ||
| Heat wave | 91.0 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 82.3 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 84.4 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 71.3 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 94.1 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 75.5 | $975K | ||
| Hail | 81.2 | $827K | ||
| Cold wave | 13.6 | $114K | ||
| Ice storm | 58.0 | $105K | ||
| Wildfire | 61.1 | $78K | ||
| Winter weather | 27.0 | $22K | ||
| Drought | 26.0 | $13K | ||
| Landslide | 73.8 | $7K |
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 moderate 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 Muscogee County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 12
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 348 storm reports in Muscogee County since 1953, with 3 deaths and 329 injuries and about $71.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 18, 1953.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 1953 | F3 | – | 300 / 2 |
| Mar 3, 2019 | EF3 | Double Churches | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 1961 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF2 | Bibb City | 1 / 0 |
| May 1, 1978 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2007 | Tornado | Bibb City | $28M |
| Apr 18, 1953 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 19, 2009 | Tornado | Columbus | $3M |
| Mar 18, 2013 | Hail | Avondale | $3M |
| May 16, 1966 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 1, 1978 | Tornado | – | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 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 1852, 2 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Muscogee County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 85 mph about 65 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 1, 80 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 56 mi |
| Jul 8, 1896 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 56 mi |
| Oct 3, 1898 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 3, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 1, 80 mph | 54 mi |
| Jun 15, 1965 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 52 mi |
| Oct 19, 1950 | King | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 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 Muscogee 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 Muscogee 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; 92,031 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lee County, AL | 20 | |
| Russell County, AL | 22 | |
| Harris County | 13 | |
| Chattahoochee County | 10 | |
| Talbot County | 15 |
Cities in Muscogee County
Common questions about Muscogee County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Muscogee County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Muscogee County, about $25.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $2.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Muscogee County had?
Muscogee County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Muscogee County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 15th 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 Muscogee County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Muscogee 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 Muscogee County had?
NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Muscogee County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 18, 1953. The weather service has also logged 75 hail reports and 24 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Muscogee County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Muscogee County. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with winds near 85 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.