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Terrell County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
119th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$5Mexpected losses a year
9federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Terrell County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 84% of US counties. It ranks 119th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and drought. FEMA estimates about $4.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $515 per resident. Since 1994 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Only 10 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Terrell County

$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$920,025 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.

Drought

Moderate
$878,461 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 52 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low12.9
$1M
TornadoLow50.1
$920K
DroughtModerate84.4
$878K
HurricaneLow73.5
$590K
Cold waveLow40.5
$494K
HailLow50.8
$199K
LightningLow41.4
$125K
EarthquakeVery Low40.1
$114K
Heat waveVery Low28.9
$93K
Strong windVery Low14.5
$87K
WildfireVery Low41.5
$21K
Winter weatherVery Low6.5
$3K
Ice stormVery Low9.3
$3K
LandslideVery Low3.5
$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 Terrell County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane5
Tropical Storm2
Tornado1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1994Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto)Major disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 155 storm reports in Terrell County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $8.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on December 5, 1954.

10tornadoes
18hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
118damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 5, 1954F2–0 / 0
Apr 10, 2009EF1Chambliss0 / 0
Dec 31, 1973F1–0 / 0
May 3, 1984F1–1 / 0
May 21, 1990F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 26, 2023HailGraves$7M
Jul 11, 2005Flash FloodCountywide$300K
Apr 10, 2009TornadoChambliss$300K
Dec 31, 1973Tornado–$250K
May 3, 1984Tornado–$250K
May 21, 1990Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 25, 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, 9 hurricanes and 30 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Terrell County, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), with top winds near 115 mph about 54 miles away.

9hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
30tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph54 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph57 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 95 mph63 mi
Nov 22, 1985KateCategory 1, 85 mph65 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph51 mi
Jun 21, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 3, 115 mph54 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi
Oct 6, 2005TammyTropical storm, 35 mph65 mi
Sep 27, 2004JeanneTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi
Sep 6, 2004FrancesTropical storm, 45 mph64 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 Terrell County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (10 policies)
22.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$57,849paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $41,931 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 Terrell County

$118,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
52%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16.2%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; 4,252 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
Dougherty CountyModerate16
Lee CountyVery Low13
Sumter CountyLow13
Randolph CountyVery Low11
Calhoun CountyVery Low13
Webster CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Terrell County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Terrell County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Terrell County, about $1.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $920,025.

How many federal disasters has Terrell County had?

Terrell County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1994, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Terrell County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 119th 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 Terrell County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Terrell 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 Terrell County had?

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Terrell County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on December 5, 1954. The weather service has also logged 18 hail reports and 9 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Terrell County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 9 hurricanes and 30 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Terrell County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Michael (2018), 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.