Enter any address in Emanuel County, Georgia to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storms and hurricanes have been the most frequent causes of flooding in Emanuel County over the past 30 years. For example, Hurricane Helene brought widespread rainfall between 6 and 14 inches to central Georgia in September 2024, with significant amounts observed in the east-central part of the state. In August 2023, Hurricane Idalia caused tropical storm-force winds and 3 to 6 inches of rain in southeast Georgia, leading to damage to trees and powerlines in Emanuel County.
While Zone A properties have experienced more frequent claims, Zone X properties have seen higher average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those residing near rivers or in areas without a Base Flood Elevation, should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
13 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Emanuel County, Georgia has recorded 29 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 4 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 22 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 (1977–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 24, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane | Aug 30, 2023 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Michael | Hurricane | Oct 9, 2018 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2017 |
| Hurricane Matthew | Hurricane | Oct 4, 2016 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 10, 2014 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | — |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | Sep 27, 2024 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 10.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 25.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 5.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 6.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 29, 2018 | 50.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 10, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | 300.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 7, 2016 | 60.00K |
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...
Hurricane (Typhoon) — 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...
Tropical Storm — Aug 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida as a category 3 hurricane. As Idalia moved inland to the northeast, it brought tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain to much of south Georgia, including far southeast counties of NWS Peachtree City CWFA (Telfair to Toombs county) where winds gusted between 40-50 mph and 3 to 6 inches of rain occurred. Damage to trees and power...
Flash Flood — Jul 29, 2018
Stationary front draped over Georgia confined a plume of deep moisture over central and southern portions of the state. Afternoon heating kicked off thunderstorm development, with a large area of storms over east central Georgia lasting into the late evening hours. Rainfall amounts ranged from 2 to 5 inches, with 3 to 4 inches occurring over eastern Emanuel county and into neighboring Jenkins c...
Tropical Storm — Oct 10, 2018
Hurricane Michael made landfall along the Florida panhandle at Mexico beach (just southeast of Panama City) on the afternoon of October 10, 2018 as a high-end Category 4 hurricane (max winds of 155 MPH). Michael then moved rapidly inland, causing widespread wind damage along its path as it swept northeast across south and central Georgia. Hurricane Michael was the first major hurricane, categor...
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 Emanuel 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 Emanuel 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.