14 flood insurance claims·$223,834 paid·5 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 Washington 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 hurricanes dominate the flood character of Washington County, with 13 tropical storm events and 3 hurricane events recorded over the last 30 years, alongside 7 flash flood events and 4 general flood events. Major tropical systems have significantly impacted the region, including Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which brought wind gusts between 50 and 100 mph and widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 14 inches across north and central Georgia. Additionally, a weakening Tropical Storm Sally brought heavy rainfall amounts of 2 to 8 inches to the region in September 2020, while a separate localized flash flooding event occurred during a wet period on September 20, 2021.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate historical claims in both moderate-to-low risk and high-risk areas. Zone X properties recorded 8 claims with an average payout of $10,795 and an average recorded water depth of 50 inches. Zone A properties recorded 6 claims with an average payout of $22,912 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Homeowners and real estate agents representing properties in higher-risk special flood hazard areas, as well as property owners in Zone X who have experienced significant standing water depths during extreme precipitation events, should pay the closest attention to flood risk.
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 26 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 2020, with 7 claims and $173,019 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.
11 NOAA storm reports from Washington County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Georgia flood stories →
16 federal disaster declarations since 1966, 5 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 Winter Storm | Feb 10, 2014 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 27, 2005 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | Sep 3, 2004 |
| Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm | Mar 13, 1993 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
27 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 4 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | Sep 27, 2024 | — · 2 killed |
| Flash Flood | Sep 20, 2021 | $30,000 |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 29, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 17, 2020 | $50,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 17, 2020 | $75,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 17, 2020 | $20,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 23, 2019 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 10, 2018 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Hurricane (Typhoon) · 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 · Sep 20, 2021. Amidst a prolonged wet and soggy period, another round of heavy rainfall over central Georgia triggered isolated flash flooding through the day on September 20th. Though much of the flooding occurred during the first half of the day, another localized report of flash flooding was reported late in the evening with another round of shower activity.
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 · Sep 17, 2020. A weakening Tropical Storm Sally moved into Georgia on September 16th, spreading heavy rainfall amounts and producing damaging winds in north and central Georgia. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 8 inches occurred, with the axis of heaviest rainfall extending from near Columbus, to Macon, to Augusta. The highest winds were observed in the metro Atlanta area as Sally's convective bands moved through late on September 16th.
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 Washington 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.