Enter any address in Bartow County, Georgia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Bartow County, with 36 occurrences in the last 30 years. Tropical storms have also contributed, with 15 events recorded. Recent examples include heavy rainfall associated with Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which brought widespread totals of 6 to 14 inches to north and central Georgia. In August 2023, thunderstorms fueled by tropical moisture from Hurricane Idalia caused torrential rainfall and damaging winds.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced higher average claim payouts ($17,770) compared to Zone X ($10,424), though Zone X claims have historically involved greater water depths (10.2 ft vs. 0.6 ft). Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, and those without a home elevated to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
33 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Bartow County, Georgia has recorded 66 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 36 flash floods and 12 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1974–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 24, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2017 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 10, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Associated Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 27, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 18, 2009 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 27, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Aug 28, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2021 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2021 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 11, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 27, 2024
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida at 11 PM EDT. Helene moved quickly inland bringing wind gusts between 50 and 100 mph to portions of east and central Georgia. Widespread rainfall totals between 6 and 14 inches were observed in association with Helene across north and central Georgia. The highest rainfall amounts were primarily observed i...
Flood — Aug 28, 2023
Thunderstorms formed along a stationary boundary located draped across west-central and northwest GA on the 28th and 29th. Significant tropical moisture ahead of Hurricane Idalia led to several thunderstorms becoming strong to severe. The main hazards included damaging winds and torrential rainfall.
Flash Flood — Mar 25, 2021
A very moist and moderately unstable airmass over the region combined with strong shear and persistent southwesterly mid and upper flow produced numerous showers and thunderstorms across north and parts of central Georgia through the day on the 25th into the morning of the 26th. Numerous reports of flooding were received with several reports of severe thunderstorms and a few isolated tornadoes....
Flash Flood — May 4, 2021
A series of upper-level short waves moved across the region in persistent, southwesterly upper-level flow combined with moderate instability and shear to produce several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms across north and central Georgia. Some of these storms dumped 2 to 4 inches of rain over the area, resulting in isolated flash flooding.
Tropical Storm — Oct 28, 2020
During the late evening of October 28th through the morning of October 29th, Tropical Storm Zeta swept rapidly across north Georgia producing widespread wind damage and isolated flooding across north and portions of central Georgia. Around 1.5 million customers lost electricity for some period of time, some for several days.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Bartow County, Georgia:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Bartow County, Georgia that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.