Enter any address in Chattooga County, Georgia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding driven by heavy rainfall dominates the flood history of Chattooga County, accounting for 47 out of 73 recorded flood events over the last 30 years alongside 16 tropical storm events, 7 general floods with 1 death, and 3 hurricanes.
Severe weather impacts are well-documented in recent NOAA data. For example, a stationary boundary and saturated environment in September 2022 brought rainfall totals of 10 to 12 inches across Northwest Georgia, with isolated pockets in Chattooga County receiving over 15 inches and prompting a Flash Flood Emergency. Additionally, the inland passage of Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024 brought widespread heavy rainfall and hazardous wind gusts to the region.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims across multiple zones, indicating that flood risk extends beyond designated high-risk areas. Zone A has accumulated 41 claims with an average payout of $31,456 and an average recorded water depth of 5 inches. Meanwhile, Zone X has recorded 6 claims with an average payout of $33,638 and an average recorded water depth of 8 inches, and Zone X_UNSHADED has seen 5 claims averaging $45,376 with an average recorded water depth of 3 inches. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay close attention to properties in both designated high-risk flood zones and unshaded moderate-to-low risk zones given the documented payouts and water depths across all categories.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
48 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Chattooga County, Georgia has recorded 73 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 47 flash floods and 7 river or area floods. The county has received 15 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2026)
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 And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 18, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 27, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 22, 2000 |
| Hurricane Opal | Hurricane | Oct 4, 1995 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 4, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2021 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 2021 | 75.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 22, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | 20.00K |
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...
Flash Flood — Sep 4, 2022
A stationary boundary draped across the area in combination with an abundantly saturated environment set the stage for an isolated, but significant Flash Flooding event for portions of Northwest Georgia, with isolated flooding across central Georgia. With a deeply moist and tropical airmass, rainfall totals across NW Georgia reached 10-12, with isolated pockets within Chattooga county seeing up...
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 — Jun 20, 2021
Remnants of Tropical Storm Claudette produced heavy rainfall over north Georgia as it tracked from central Alabama eastward into the state on June 19 and June 20. The heaviest rainfall amounts extended from the Georgia border with Alabama eastward through Chattooga, Floyd, southern Walker, Gordon, Pickens and Dawson counties. In this strip, 2.5 to 4 inches were common, with higher amounts to 8 ...
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 Chattooga 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 Chattooga County, Georgia that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, or a federally backed loan, 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.