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 Taliaferro 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 flood risk in Taliaferro County, based on NOAA Storm Events Database records that include 16 tropical storms, 4 flash floods, 2 hurricanes, and 2 general floods over the last 30 years.
Severe storms routinely deliver heavy rainfall and wind impacts to the region. For example, Hurricane Helene brought widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 14 inches across north and central Georgia in September 2024. Additionally, Tropical Storm Zeta swept across north Georgia in October 2020, producing widespread wind damage and isolated flooding. Previous heavy rain events, such as a system in November 2018, dropped 4 to 5 inches of rain along east-central Georgia and caused flash flooding when combined with saturated ground.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated in low-lying areas, near streams and rivers, and in locations prone to rapid accumulation from heavy tropical downpours and persistent rain bands.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
6 NOAA storm reports from Taliaferro County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Georgia flood stories →
16 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 Flooding | Dec 22, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 10, 2014 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 27, 2005 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | Sep 3, 2004 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
24 since 1996: 4 flash floods and 2 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 29, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Nov 15, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 11, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2017 | $50,000 |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 4, 2011 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 10, 2009 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 21, 2008 | — |
— = 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 · Nov 15, 2018. An upper level low pressure system, combined with a series of weak disturbances, provided several waves of precipitation the week of November 11th, producing periods of heavy rain over north and central Georgia. Overnight November 14th into November 15th was particularly wet over east central Georgia as a band of heavy rainfall set up over the area, dumping 4 to 5 inches of rain along a line from Rochelle, northea…
Tropical Storm · Oct 11, 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 Taliaferro 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.