Turner County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Turner County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 83% of US counties. It ranks 118th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, hurricanes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $4.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $481 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 8 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 Turner County
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | 49.4 | $820K | ||
| Hurricane | 76.3 | $789K | ||
| Inland flooding | 8.3 | $766K | ||
| Strong wind | 69.7 | $650K | ||
| Cold wave | 47.0 | $567K | ||
| Drought | 68.3 | $316K | ||
| Earthquake | 42.6 | $119K | ||
| Lightning | 37.5 | $99K | ||
| Heat wave | 28.4 | $82K | ||
| Hail | 30.5 | $81K | ||
| Wildfire | 39.6 | $17K | ||
| Ice storm | 7.3 | $2K | ||
| Winter weather | 4.4 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 2.6 | $2 |
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 very high 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 Turner County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1964
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 191 storm reports in Turner County since 1964, with 2 deaths and 45 injuries and about $9.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on January 22, 2017 near Hobby.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | EF3 | Hobby | 25 / 0 |
| Aug 24, 1968 | F2 | – | 12 / 0 |
| Dec 15, 2007 | EF1 | Ashburn | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 2, 2007 | EF1 | Sycamore | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2017 | Tornado | Hobby | $5M |
| Dec 15, 2007 | Tornado | Ashburn | $1M |
| Mar 2, 2007 | Tornado | Sycamore | $750K |
| Feb 26, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashburn | $500K |
| Jan 2, 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dakota | $250K |
| Aug 24, 1968 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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 39 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Turner County, 17 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 110 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 2, 110 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 1, 90 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 24, 1851 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 56 mi |
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 56 mi |
| Oct 10, 1852 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 55 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 2, 110 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Michael | Category 1, 90 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 2, 2016 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 60 mi |
| Jun 13, 2006 | Alberto | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 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 Turner 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 Turner 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; 3,927 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tift County | 18 | |
| Worth County | 18 | |
| Crisp County | 15 | |
| Ben Hill County | 13 | |
| Irwin County | 12 | |
| Wilcox County | 16 |
Common questions about Turner County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Turner County?
Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Turner County, about $819,805 a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $788,896.
How many federal disasters has Turner County had?
Turner County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Is Turner County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 118th 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 Turner County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Turner 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 Turner County had?
NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Turner County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on January 22, 2017 near Hobby. The weather service has also logged 34 hail reports and 32 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Turner County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 39 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Turner County. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 110 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.