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Turner County, Georgia

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

Very Low overall risk
118th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$4Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: aidankinser, public domain

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

$819,805 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.
$788,896 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$766,153 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
TornadoLow49.4
$820K
HurricaneLow76.3
$789K
Inland floodingVery Low8.3
$766K
Strong windModerate69.7
$650K
Cold waveLow47.0
$567K
DroughtModerate68.3
$316K
EarthquakeVery Low42.6
$119K
LightningLow37.5
$99K
Heat waveVery Low28.4
$82K
HailVery Low30.5
$81K
WildfireVery Low39.6
$17K
Ice stormVery Low7.3
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low4.4
$2K
LandslideVery Low2.6
$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

Hurricane7
Severe Storm4
Tropical Storm2
Tornado1

Most recent

Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Jan 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 25, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Show all 14
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Feb 15, 2000Severe Storms/TornadosMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster

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.

10tornadoes
34hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
114damaging thunderstorm winds
32floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 22, 2017EF3Hobby25 / 0
Aug 24, 1968F2–12 / 0
Dec 15, 2007EF1Ashburn0 / 1
Mar 2, 2007EF1Sycamore0 / 0
May 16, 1983F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 22, 2017TornadoHobby$5M
Dec 15, 2007TornadoAshburn$1M
Mar 2, 2007TornadoSycamore$750K
Feb 26, 2008Thunderstorm WindAshburn$500K
Jan 2, 2017Thunderstorm WindDakota$250K
Aug 24, 1968Tornado–$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.

12hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
39tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 110 mph64 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph54 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph57 mi
Aug 24, 1851UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph56 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph56 mi
Oct 10, 1852UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph55 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 2, 110 mph64 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Oct 10, 2018MichaelCategory 1, 90 mph54 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 65 mph60 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 Turner County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (8 policies)
22.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year

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

$97,300median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
25.4%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; 3,927 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
Tift CountyLow18
Worth CountyVery Low18
Crisp CountyLow15
Ben Hill CountyVery Low13
Irwin CountyVery Low12
Wilcox CountyVery Low16

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.