100 flood insurance claims·$2.1M paid·3 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Mitchell County, Georgia. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding dominates the flood character of Mitchell County, supported by a 30-year history of 30 flash flood events, alongside 11 tropical storms, 7 general floods, and 2 hurricanes. This hazard profile was demonstrated during a major flash flood event in April 2024, when severe rainfall across southern Georgia and portions of the Florida big bend caused rapid water rises, flooded structures and vehicles, and resulted in several million dollars in flood damage.
Federal flood insurance claim records show that risk spans multiple zones, requiring specific attention from property owners depending on their location. Zone A accounts for the vast majority of historical claims with 85 filings averaging $33,271 per claim and an average recorded water depth of 6 inches. Meanwhile, properties located in Zone X have experienced fewer filings with 10 claims, but recorded a higher average water depth of 27 inches with an average payout of $17,893. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 4 claims averaging a $3,254 payout with an average water depth of 2 inches, and the unknown zone recorded 1 claim with an average payout of $1,254 and an average water depth of 0 inches. Homeowners in mapped high-risk zones and those experiencing deeper water accumulations in moderate-risk areas should pay the closest attention to these historical patterns.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
4% of Mitchell County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
89 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 8 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1994, with 22 claims and $634,061 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
39 NOAA storm reports from Mitchell County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Georgia flood stories →
18 federal disaster declarations since 1974, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | Sep 24, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Hurricane Michael | Oct 9, 2018 |
| Hurricane Irma | Sep 7, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Jan 2, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Mar 26, 2009 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Mar 1, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 27, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
50 since 1996: 30 flash floods and 7 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 11, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 10, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 9, 2024 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | $20,000 |
| Flood | May 22, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2022 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 10, 2022 | $3,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Tropical Storm · Sep 26, 2024. Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and a minimum central pressure of 938 mb (27.70 inches) at about 11:10 PM EDT on Thursday, September 26th, in Taylor County Florida just east of the Aucilla River. Helene quickly moved inland across Taylor and Madison Counties before moving into Lowndes County in South Central Georgia. The hurricane produced a devastat…
Flash Flood · Apr 11, 2024. A major flash flood event occurred across portions of the Florida big bend and southern Georgia during the late night hours of April 10th through the early morning hours of April 11th. Between 6 and 10 inches of rain fell with localized higher amounts, particularly over Tallahassee. This resulted in rapid water rises across Tallahassee with numerous cars and structures flooded. Several million dollars in flood…
Flash Flood · Apr 10, 2024. A major flash flood event occurred across portions of the Florida big bend and southern Georgia during the late night hours of April 10th through the early morning hours of April 11th. Between 6 and 10 inches of rain fell with localized higher amounts, particularly over Tallahassee. This resulted in rapid water rises across Tallahassee with numerous cars and structures flooded. Several million dollars in flood…
Flash Flood · Mar 9, 2024. A line of thunderstorms moved through the tri-state area ahead of a cold front. Severe weather and flash flooding accompanied this line, mainly across southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia, although a few trees were also blown down in northwest Florida. One tornado was reported in Dale County, AL, and another tornado briefly occurred in northeast Leon County, FL extending into Jefferson county, FL.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Mitchell County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.