Enter any address in Heard County, Georgia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall is the dominant flood character in Heard County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data indicates 13 Tropical Storm events, 7 Flash Flood events, and 6 Flood events. For example, isolated flash flooding occurred in February 2024 due to 2.5 to 5 inches of rainfall. Additionally, Tropical Storm Zeta brought isolated flooding to the area in October 2020.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows one claim in Zone A with an average payout of $350 and an average water depth of 3.0 feet. Residents in areas designated as Zone A, particularly those without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Heard County, Georgia has recorded 29 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 7 flash floods and 6 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 (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 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Mar 25, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Zeta | Hurricane | Oct 29, 2020 |
| 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Feb 12, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 12, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2014 | 20.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 4, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 21, 2009 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Sep 21, 2009 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 16, 2009 | 3.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 10, 2009 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Feb 12, 2024
A period of persistent thunderstorms moved through the area with an initial warm front early in the morning and later a weak cold front overnight. Weak instability resulted in mostly benign activity, aside from a single report of each hail and wind damage. Rainfall amounts of 2.5 to 5 inches stretched across central Georgia, with highest amounts along the Georgia-Alabama line, between LaGrange ...
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.
Tropical Storm — Sep 11, 2017
On the morning of August 30th Tropical Storm Irma developed rapidly over the eastern Atlantic Ocean, just west of the Cape Verde Islands. Tropical Irma quickly strengthened as it moved west, reaching hurricane strength by the morning of August 31st. Hurricane Irma continued to move steadily westward across the Atlantic Ocean, intensifying to category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it ap...
Flash Flood — Jul 20, 2014
An upper level trough continued to dominate the eastern portion of the country on the 20th, but with ridging beginning to build in aloft. A shortwave pushed across the Southeast late in the evening, sparking numerous showers and thunderstorms. Nearly stationary thunderstorms produced heavy rain over portions of Heard and Troup Counties. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches occurred primarily just...
Tropical Storm — Sep 4, 2011
Tropical Storm Lee moved slowly onshore the Louisiana coast on Friday September 2nd and then grudgingly moved northeast through Sunday September 4th before finally becoming caught up in an eastward advancing upper trough and associated frontal system. The remnants of Lee tracked across central Mississippi, central and northern Alabama, and into northern Georgia on the 5th before moving northea...
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 Heard 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 Heard 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.