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Toombs County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
70th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$11Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Toombs County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 57% of US counties. It ranks 70th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $402 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). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (57 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $458,000 on 36 claims here.

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

Top risks in Toombs County

$3.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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 floodingLow37.8
$4M
HurricaneModerate84.1
$3M
TornadoLow63.8
$2M
DroughtModerate77.4
$643K
Heat waveLow64.3
$573K
EarthquakeLow67.1
$552K
LightningModerate76.7
$512K
Strong windLow30.2
$238K
Cold waveVery Low20.0
$179K
HailLow36.1
$125K
WildfireVery Low53.5
$47K
Ice stormLow32.7
$30K
Winter weatherVery Low9.6
$6K
LandslideVery Low10.8
$26

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 Toombs County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane10
Tropical Storm3
Tornado2
Severe Storm2
Flood1
Drought1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
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
Show all 21
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
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 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 154 storm reports in Toombs County since 1956, with 1 death and 8 injuries and about $4.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Normantown.

11tornadoes
32hail reports, largest 2 inches
96damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 11, 2008EF2Normantown3 / 0
Jun 2, 1968F2–0 / 0
Jan 12, 1975F2–1 / 0
May 3, 1984F1–3 / 0
May 24, 2017EF1Charles0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 3, 1984Tornado–$3M
May 11, 2008TornadoNormantown$500K
Aug 11, 2007Thunderstorm WindVidalia$250K
May 25, 2014HailStanleys Store$154K
Mar 30, 1997Thunderstorm WindCedar Crossing$150K
Jun 5, 2012HailVidalia$135K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 27, 2025. 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, 10 hurricanes and 44 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Toombs County, 15 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with top winds near 105 mph about 64 miles away.

10hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
44tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph64 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph58 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph62 mi
Sep 8, 1854UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph63 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 85 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 85 mph56 mi
Aug 6, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph57 mi
Jun 13, 2006AlbertoTropical storm, 40 mph63 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 Toombs County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (57 policies)
18%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$458,054paid on 36 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $164,373 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 Toombs County

$137,000median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1984median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
26.2%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; 12,103 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
Tattnall CountyLow21
Emanuel CountyVery Low20
Appling CountyLow18
Jeff Davis CountyVery Low18
Candler CountyVery Low20
Montgomery CountyVery Low19
Treutlen CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Toombs County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Toombs County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Toombs County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $2.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Toombs County had?

Toombs 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 Toombs County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 70th 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 Toombs County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Toombs 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 Toombs County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Toombs County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on May 11, 2008 near Normantown. The weather service has also logged 32 hail reports and 9 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Toombs County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 10 hurricanes and 44 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Toombs County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with winds near 105 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.