Enter any address in McIntosh County, Georgia to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storms and coastal flooding are the most frequent flood events in McIntosh County, GA, based on NOAA Storm Events data from the last 30 years. These events have included Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024 and Tropical Storm Idalia in August 2023.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $9,737 and water depths averaging 1.1 feet. Properties in Zone V have also seen claims with higher average payouts of $27,782, though with a lower average water depth of 0.9 feet. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have had fewer claims but significantly higher average payouts ($19,434) and water depths (3.8 feet).
Residents with properties in coastal areas, particularly those in Zone A and Zone V, should be aware of their flood risk. Homeowners in Zone X_UNSHADED may also face substantial flood damage, as indicated by claim data.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
18 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
McIntosh County, Georgia has recorded 53 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 6 flash floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 24, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Dorian | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2019 |
| Hurricane Michael | Hurricane | Oct 9, 2018 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2017 |
| Hurricane Matthew | Hurricane | Oct 4, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Mar 26, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | — |
| Tropical Depression | Jul 7, 2021 | — |
| Tropical Depression | Sep 4, 2019 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Nov 24, 2018 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Nov 23, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 11, 2017 | 25.00K |
| Tropical Depression | Sep 11, 2017 | 966.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | 967.00K |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Sep 11, 2017 | 967.00K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 26, 2024
Helene first developed into a tropical storm in the northwest Caribbean Sea in the late morning of September 24, and strengthened into a hurricane near the Yucatan peninsula about 24 hours later. Helene continued to strengthen and became a major hurricane as it moved to the north-northeast across the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida in the late even...
Tropical Storm — Aug 30, 2023
Idalia first developed into a tropical depression across the western Caribbean Sea near the Yucatan Peninsula on August 26th before slowly gaining strength and becoming a tropical storm on August 27th. The storm then began to take a northward track the next day, passing the western tip of Cuba while gaining strength. On August 29th, Idalia was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane early in the mor...
Tropical Depression — Jul 7, 2021
Elsa initially developed as a Tropical Depression over the central tropical Atlantic late in the evening of June 30th, 2021. The system quickly tracked to the west-northwest and became Tropical Storm Elsa on the morning of July 1st, 2021 about 850 miles east-southeast of the Windward Islands. Elsa strengthened to a hurricane and crossed the Windward Islands on July 2nd, 2021. Over the next seve...
Tropical Depression — Sep 4, 2019
Dorian started as a Tropical Depression in the south-central Atlantic Ocean on August 24th. Dorian quickly became a Tropical Storm and moved with a west-northwestward motion as it moved through the Lesser Antilles. Dorian became a Hurricane near Puerto Rico on the evening of August 28th. As it moved to the northwest and then west-northwest, Dorian underwent rapid intensification and became one ...
Coastal Flood — Nov 24, 2018
Astronomical effects including a full moon and upcoming lunar perigee combined to produce an elevated morning high tide. The level of the high tide was driven even higher by the presence of a passing area of low pressure around the time of high tide. The high tide resulted in coastal flooding along the southeast Georgia coast including Savannah and Tybee Island.
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 McIntosh 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 McIntosh 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.