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Union County, Georgia

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

Relatively Low overall risk
54th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$12Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 111homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Union County, Georgia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 54th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $473 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (134 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $678,000 on 61 claims here.

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

Top risks in Union County

$5.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.3 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 floodingLow58.7
$6M
Cold waveModerate81.1
$3M
TornadoLow63.2
$1M
EarthquakeLow64.4
$397K
Strong windLow48.5
$356K
LightningModerate69.6
$333K
HailLow51.3
$186K
DroughtLow56.2
$149K
WildfireLow71.9
$135K
Ice stormModerate61.5
$97K
HurricaneVery Low56.2
$91K
LandslideModerate94.3
$73K
Winter weatherVery Low16.3
$9K
Heat waveVery Low6.6
$6K

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Union County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Severe Storm4
Tropical Storm2
Snowstorm1
Severe Ice Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Jan 12, 2021Tropical Storm ZetaMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Feb 26, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Show all 15
Jan 28, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 10, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 23, 1990Severe Storms, Tornaodes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1980

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 153 storm reports in Union County since 1980, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $3.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on June 28, 1994 near Blairsville.

3tornadoes
45hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
69damaging thunderstorm winds
31floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 28, 1994F1Blairsville0 / 0
Jun 28, 1994F1Blairsville0 / 0
May 7, 1998F0Ivy Log0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 28, 1994TornadoBlairsville$500K
May 26, 2011HailBlairsville$385K
Apr 4, 2011Thunderstorm WindBlairsville$300K
Jul 21, 2020HailChoestoe$300K
Sep 16, 2004Flash FloodCountywide$250K
May 26, 2011LightningBethlehem$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 7, 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 1916, 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Union County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with top winds near 60 mph about 58 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph58 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 50 mph54 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 50 mph47 mi
Jul 15, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneTropical storm, 50 mph54 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 60 mph58 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 50 mph47 mi
Jul 15, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 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 Union County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (134 policies)
13.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$678,151paid on 61 flood claims since 1978
2004costliest year, with $211,725 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 Union County

$307,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1995median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
20%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
13.9%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; 15,164 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
Lumpkin CountyLow22
Cherokee County, NCLow14
White CountyLow20
Fannin CountyLow17
Towns CountyVery Low13
Clay County, NCVery Low11

Common questions about Union County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Union County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Union County, about $5.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Union County had?

Union County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.

Is Union County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 54th 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 Union County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Union 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 Union County had?

NOAA records list 3 tornadoes in Union County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on June 28, 1994 near Blairsville. The weather service has also logged 45 hail reports and 31 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Union County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Union County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Zeta (2020), with winds near 60 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.