16 flood insurance claims·$125,655 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 Sumter 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 floods dominate the severe weather event mix in Sumter County, supplemented by flash floods and hurricanes over the last 30 years. Major regional impacts are illustrated by Hurricane Michael in October 2018, which moved rapidly inland as a major hurricane, and Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which brought prolonged heavy rainfall and wind gusts across central Georgia. Heavy rainfall on saturated soils also caused flash flooding and road closures, such as an event in March 2020 that produced 3 to 6 inches of rain.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims filed across multiple zones, with Zone A recording 8 claims averaging a $5,533 payout and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Zone X recorded 7 claims with a higher average payout of $24,442 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch, while 1 claim in an unknown zone averaged a $221 payout with an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Homeowners and real estate agents working with properties in both designated flood hazard areas (Zone A) and moderate-to-low risk areas (Zone X) should pay close attention to these historical claim patterns and flood risks when evaluating property vulnerability.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 1 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 2005, with 5 claims and $40,179 paid, the year of Hurricane Katrina Evacuation.
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.
11 NOAA storm reports from Sumter County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Georgia flood stories →
14 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 3 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 Tornadoes | Mar 1, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 27, 2005 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | Sep 3, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 14, 1998 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
31 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 7 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | $3,000 |
| Flash Flood | Mar 4, 2020 | — |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | Oct 10, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 10, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | $150,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2017 | $12,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 22, 2015 | $80,000 |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 4, 2011 | — |
— = 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…
Flash Flood · Mar 4, 2020. During the day on March 4, enhanced moisture over the state produced a swath of heavy rainfall over portions of south and central Georgia. An area of 3 to 6 inches of rain fell over an area stretching from Stewart County eastward to Toombs County. Isolated higher amounts of up to 8 inches, particularly over Stewart County. This heavy rainfall fell on already wet soils, exacerbating the impact. Numerous road closur…
Hurricane (Typhoon) · 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, category 3 or higher, to di…
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, category 3 or higher, to di…
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 Sumter 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.