2 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 Oglethorpe 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.
Tropical storms and flash flooding drive the primary flood risks in Oglethorpe County. Over the last 30 years, NOAA records show that tropical storms and flash floods have constituted the majority of recorded flood-related events, supplemented by hurricanes and general floods.
Recent history illustrates these impacts. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought widespread rainfall totals between 6 and 14 inches to portions of east and central Georgia due to prolonged heavy rain. Similarly, in October 2020, Tropical Storm Zeta swept across north Georgia, producing widespread wind damage and isolated flooding. Tropical Storm Irma also affected the region following its progression as a major hurricane in September 2017.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated near waterways, low-lying areas vulnerable to sudden flash flooding, and structures lacking adequate base flood elevation data during severe tropical systems and heavy rainfall events.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
8 NOAA storm reports from Oglethorpe County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Georgia flood stories →
15 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Hurricane Helene | Sep 24, 2024 |
| Hurricane Michael | Oct 9, 2018 |
| Hurricane Irma | Sep 7, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Dec 22, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 15, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 10, 2014 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 27, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
22 since 1996: 3 flash floods and 2 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | $2,000 |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 29, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 21, 2017 | $3,000 |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | $75,000 |
| Flash Flood | Dec 30, 2015 | $25,000 |
| Flash Flood | Dec 30, 2015 | $122,500 |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 4, 2011 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 10, 2009 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
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 in portions of east-c…
Tropical Storm · Oct 29, 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 · Mar 21, 2017. A large mesoscale convective complex developed along a cold front across central and southern Tennessee in response to a series of short waves sweeping through the region. These thunderstorms encountered an unstable and moderately-sheared atmosphere as they moved south into north Georgia producing numerous, widespread reports of large hail and damaging thunderstorm winds as well as two isolated tornadoes.
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 approached the norther…
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 Oglethorpe 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.