Morgan County, Tennessee
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Morgan County, Tennessee has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 81% of US counties. It ranks 82nd of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $308 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). Only 9 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 Morgan County
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 25.7 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 64.6 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 39.3 | $759K | ||
| Strong wind | 55.3 | $586K | ||
| Earthquake | 58.3 | $381K | ||
| Lightning | 40.8 | $151K | ||
| Wildfire | 63.5 | $100K | ||
| Winter weather | 59.1 | $80K | ||
| Ice storm | 34.4 | $37K | ||
| Hail | 11.6 | $34K | ||
| Landslide | 84.5 | $26K | ||
| Hurricane | 33.4 | $17K | ||
| Drought | 24.8 | $11K | ||
| Heat wave | 4.5 | $5K |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Morgan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
Tennessee also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 324 storm reports in Morgan County since 1961, with 9 deaths and 46 injuries and about $4.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on November 10, 2002 near Wartburg.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 2002 | F3 | Wartburg | 28 / 7 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | – | 6 / 0 |
| Feb 6, 2025 | EF2 | Adkins Mill | 3 / 2 |
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF1 | Sunbright | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 17, 1965 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 2002 | Tornado | Wartburg | $968K |
| Feb 6, 2025 | Tornado | Adkins Mill | $700K |
| May 18, 1995 | Hail | Coalfield | $500K |
| Jul 19, 2010 | Flash Flood | Oakdale | $200K |
| Feb 28, 2011 | Flood | Sunbright | $146K |
| May 15, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunbright | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 7, 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 1975, 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Morgan County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Frederic (1979), with top winds near 45 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 1979 | Frederic | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 24, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 1979 | Frederic | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 24, 1975 | Eloise | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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; 8,566 housing units.
Compare in Tennessee
All 95 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | Earthquake | |
| Davidson County | Inland flooding | |
| Knox County | Inland flooding | |
| Hamilton County | Inland flooding | |
| Rutherford County | Inland flooding | |
| Williamson County | Inland flooding | |
| Montgomery County | Inland flooding | |
| Sumner County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 20 | |
| Cumberland County | 24 | |
| Roane County | 22 | |
| Scott County | 24 | |
| Fentress County | 22 |
Common questions about Morgan County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Morgan County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Morgan County, about $2.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Morgan County had?
Morgan 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 Morgan County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 82nd 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 Morgan County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Morgan 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 Morgan County had?
NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Morgan County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on November 10, 2002 near Wartburg. The weather service has also logged 70 hail reports and 36 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Morgan County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Morgan 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.