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Sequatchie County, Tennessee

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

Very Low overall risk
65th of 95highest risk in Tennessee
$11Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Sequatchie County, Tennessee has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 60% of US counties. It ranks 65th of 95 counties in Tennessee. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $694 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 31 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $134,000 on 20 claims here.

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

Top risks in Sequatchie County

Cold wave

Moderate
$5.4 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.
$3.6 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.
$991,825 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
Cold waveModerate88.5
$5M
Inland floodingLow35.1
$4M
TornadoLow47.4
$992K
Strong windLow39.6
$361K
EarthquakeVery Low52.3
$271K
LightningLow31.8
$102K
Winter weatherLow43.7
$46K
WildfireVery Low51.0
$44K
Heat waveVery Low16.3
$37K
HailVery Low10.0
$28K
DroughtVery Low30.2
$23K
Ice stormVery Low23.9
$20K
HurricaneVery Low24.2
$8K
LandslideLow71.1
$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 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 Sequatchie County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm10
Fire3
Flood2
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 2, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Apr 17, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Nov 11, 2016Smith Mountain Fire ComplexFire management
Aug 13, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 1, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
May 15, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 8, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Mar 20, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 3, 2001Tn - Chattanooga Fire Complex - 11/03/01Fire management
Apr 13, 1999Tn - Wildfires 4/13/99Fire management
Jan 15, 1999Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1997Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1994Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 21, 1973Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1964

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 228 storm reports in Sequatchie County since 1964, with 1 death and 9 injuries and about $7.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Daus.

10tornadoes
43hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
150damaging thunderstorm winds
23floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 27, 2011EF4Daus0 / 0
Jun 26, 1994F2Lewis Chapel0 / 0
Apr 27, 2011EF2Dunlap0 / 0
Mar 28, 1997F2Cagle0 / 0
Apr 10, 2009EF2Dunlap0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 5, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$6M
Jun 26, 1994TornadoLewis Chapel$500K
Apr 27, 2011TornadoDaus$250K
Apr 27, 2011TornadoDunlap$200K
Mar 28, 1997TornadoCagle$100K
Apr 10, 2009TornadoDunlap$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 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 Sequatchie County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 50 mph about 60 miles away.

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

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph41 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 1979FredericTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Sep 13, 1892UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph41 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 Sequatchie County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (31 policies)
12.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$133,966paid on 20 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $60,859 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 Sequatchie County

$232,600median home value (Tennessee $286,700, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Tennessee 1987, US 1980)
31%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
18.5%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; 6,992 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
Hamilton CountyModerate23
Warren CountyLow20
Marion CountyLow23
Bledsoe CountyVery Low23
Grundy CountyVery Low20
Van Buren CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Sequatchie County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sequatchie County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Sequatchie County, about $5.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Sequatchie County had?

Sequatchie County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Sequatchie County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 65th 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 Sequatchie County?

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

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Sequatchie County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Daus. The weather service has also logged 43 hail reports and 23 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Sequatchie County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Sequatchie County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with winds near 50 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.