Enter any address in Cobb County, Georgia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Cobb County, GA, with 38 such events recorded in the last 30 years. Other significant flood-producing events include general floods (15), tropical storms (14), and hurricanes (3). For example, heavy rainfall associated with Hurricane Helene in September 2024 brought widespread totals of 6 to 14 inches to portions of north and central Georgia, including the Atlanta Metropolitan area. More localized flash flooding occurred in September 2021 due to training thunderstorms, and again in February 2020 from heavy rainfall accompanying a strong cold front.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims (1042) with an average payout of $34,565 and an average water depth of 6.1 feet. Properties in Zone X also show a significant number of claims (481) with an average payout of $32,751 and an average water depth of 5.5 feet. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those in less frequently claimed but still impacted zones like X_UNSHADED and X_SHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
29 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cobb County, Georgia has recorded 70 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 38 flash floods and 15 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1966–2026)
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 |
| Hurricane Ivan | Hurricane | Sep 14, 2004 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 22, 2000 |
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 7, 2021 | 1.94M |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 12, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 2017 | 3.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 24, 2015 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 4, 2015 | 2.00K |
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 7, 2021
Thunderstorms developing along a stationary front across north Georgia produced isolated reports of wind damage in a portion of the metro Atlanta area. This front also triggered training storms that quickly dumped several inches of rain over the two-county area. Flash flooding occurred late in the evening on September 7th and continued into the early morning hours on September 8th. Afternoon s...
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.
Flash Flood — Feb 6, 2020
A line of thunderstorms ahead of a strong cold front moved into northwest Georgia in the pre-dawn hours and swept across north and central Georgia through the morning into the afternoon producing numerous reports of damaging thunderstorm winds and an isolated tornado. Storms along the front also produced heavy rainfall, ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches, with higher amounts up to 6 inches, particula...
Flash Flood — Nov 12, 2018
A series of weak surface low systems traversed the area, producing periods of heavy rain over north Georgia late on November 11th through November 12th. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches occurred, combining with the already saturated soils to produce isolated flash flooding in portions of the north Atlanta metropolitan area.
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 Cobb 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 Cobb 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.