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Coffee County, Tennessee

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

Relatively Low overall risk
34th of 95highest risk in Tennessee
$23Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Coffee County, Tennessee has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 64% of US counties. It ranks 34th of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $23 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $396 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (89 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $171,000 on 26 claims here.

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

Top risks in Coffee County

$7.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$5.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow56.0
$8M
TornadoModerate86.3
$6M
Cold waveModerate79.8
$4M
EarthquakeLow87.4
$3M
Strong windModerate69.1
$933K
DroughtModerate69.7
$501K
HailLow57.4
$340K
LightningLow51.0
$236K
Heat waveVery Low36.9
$193K
Winter weatherModerate77.6
$180K
Ice stormLow59.2
$128K
HurricaneVery Low51.9
$85K
WildfireVery Low11.5
$4K
LandslideVery Low23.9
$167

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 moderate 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 Coffee County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Flood5
Winter Storm3
Severe Ice Storm2
Tornado1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 2, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Sep 27, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoMajor disaster
Mar 8, 2023Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Apr 17, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 2, 2015Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 8, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Nov 13, 2002Severe Storms and TornadosMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1994Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Jan 4, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 22, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 28, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 21, 1973Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

Tennessee also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 404 storm reports in Coffee County since 1955, with 2 deaths and 32 injuries and about $11.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 26, 1959.

28tornadoes
87hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
239damaging thunderstorm winds
40floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 26, 1959F3–0 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F3–1 / 0
Nov 10, 2002F2Fredonia24 / 2
Oct 24, 2001F2Manchester0 / 0
Jan 22, 1957F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 24, 2001TornadoManchester$3M
Oct 18, 2011HailTullahoma$1M
Nov 29, 2016TornadoTullahoma$750K
Aug 24, 2007Thunderstorm WindManchester$556K
Apr 20, 1996Thunderstorm WindManchester$500K
Apr 20, 1996LightningTullahoma$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 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 1892, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Coffee County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Frederic (1979), with top winds near 45 mph about 56 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
1979most recent: Frederic

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph7 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph7 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 Coffee County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (89 policies)
17.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$171,064paid on 26 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $80,890 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 Coffee County

$246,800median home value (Tennessee $286,700, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Tennessee 1987, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
13.1%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; 25,467 housing units.

Compare in Tennessee

All 95 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Shelby CountyHighEarthquake
Davidson CountyHighInland flooding
Knox CountyModerateInland flooding
Hamilton CountyModerateInland flooding
Rutherford CountyModerateInland flooding
Williamson CountyModerateInland flooding
Montgomery CountyModerateInland flooding
Sumner CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Rutherford CountyModerate15
Bedford CountyLow16
Franklin CountyLow13
Warren CountyLow20
Cannon CountyVery Low20
Grundy CountyVery Low20
Moore CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Coffee County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Coffee County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Coffee County, about $7.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Coffee County had?

Coffee County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Coffee County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 34th highest of 95 in Tennessee. 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 Coffee County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Coffee 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 Coffee County had?

NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Coffee County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 26, 1959. The weather service has also logged 87 hail reports and 40 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Coffee County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Coffee County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Frederic (1979), with winds near 45 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.