Tattnall County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Tattnall County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 68% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $880 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 38 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $399,000 on 26 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Tattnall 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.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 94.0 | $12M | ||
| Inland flooding | 37.8 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 89.4 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 52.3 | $986K | ||
| Earthquake | 71.2 | $631K | ||
| Lightning | 80.3 | $535K | ||
| Heat wave | 63.3 | $492K | ||
| Cold wave | 38.8 | $463K | ||
| Strong wind | 25.8 | $180K | ||
| Hail | 35.9 | $110K | ||
| Wildfire | 63.1 | $76K | ||
| Ice storm | 25.8 | $18K | ||
| Winter weather | 14.6 | $9K | ||
| Landslide | 11.2 | $25 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Tattnall County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 305 storm reports in Tattnall County since 1957, with 3 deaths and 18 injuries and about $5.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Cobbtown.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | EF3 | Cobbtown | 2 / 0 |
| May 12, 1974 | F2 | – | 7 / 2 |
| Apr 23, 1971 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Jan 15, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 15, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 11, 2008 | Tornado | Cobbtown | $1M |
| Feb 28, 2009 | Lightning | Reidsville | $500K |
| May 3, 1984 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Mar 3, 1991 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 28, 1998 | Lightning | Glennville | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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, 12 hurricanes and 51 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tattnall County, 18 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 115 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 8, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 15, 1947 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 52 mi |
| Aug 28, 1881 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 2024 | Debby | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 46 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 14, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 2, 2016 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 7, 2013 | Andrea | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 56 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 Tattnall 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 Tattnall 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; 9,405 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Liberty County | 16 | |
| Wayne County | 17 | |
| Toombs County | 21 | |
| Emanuel County | 20 | |
| Appling County | 18 | |
| Long County | 16 | |
| Candler County | 20 | |
| Evans County | 15 |
Common questions about Tattnall County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Tattnall County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Tattnall County, about $12.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Tattnall County had?
Tattnall County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Tattnall County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 28th 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 Tattnall County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Tattnall 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 Tattnall County had?
NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Tattnall County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Cobbtown. The weather service has also logged 68 hail reports and 21 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Tattnall County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 51 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tattnall County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 115 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.