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Natural hazard risk in Clinch County, Georgia

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Very Low (score 20.7 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$4.6 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1977
18[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$1,100[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
9[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall natural hazard risk in Clinch County, Georgia as Very Low compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are hurricane, wildfire and drought[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA rates Clinch County's overall Risk Index Very Low, with a score of 20.7 out of 100[5]. FEMA lists $4.6 million in Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. By Expected Annual Loss, the largest are inland flooding ($2.1 million a year), hurricane ($1.6 million a year) and tornado ($313,000 a year)[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Very High (score 97.4), which describes how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience Relatively Moderate (score 43.0), which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
HurricaneRelatively Moderate$1.6 million[11]
WildfireVery Low$37,000[12]
DroughtRelatively Low$95,000[13]
EarthquakeVery Low$72,000[14]
LightningRelatively Low$82,000[15]
TornadoRelatively Low$313,000[16]
Inland FloodingVery Low$2.1 million[17]
Heat WaveVery Low$75,000[18]
Cold WaveVery Low$95,000[19]
HailVery Low$27,000[20]
Strong WindVery Low$51,000[21]
Winter WeatherVery Low$2,142[22]
Ice StormVery Low$492[23]
LandslideVery Low$0[24]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[25].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityVery High97.4[9]
Community resilienceRelatively Moderate43.0[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Very Low for Clinch County, with a Risk Index score of 29.0 out of 100[17]. OpenFEMA lists 461 residential structures inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area and 50 flood insurance contracts there, so 10.8% of homes inside the SFHA are insured[26]. OpenFEMA NFIP records list 5 claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, 1 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $1,100 in total[3]. To learn about the flood zone of an address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[27].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[17] Very Low, $2.1 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 55 of 2,896 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[26] 461, of which 50 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 5 filed, $1,100 paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[27]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 18 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clinch County since 1977[2]. Hurricane declarations number 8 of them[2]. The most recent is a fire declaration, FM-5629-GA, declared 2026-04-21[28]. NOAA's tornado database records 9 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024, and the strongest were rated F2[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clinch County, since 1977
Incident type Declarations
Hurricane[2] 8
Severe Storm[2] 3
Tropical Storm[2] 3
Fire[2] 2
Drought[2] 1
Flood[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
FM-5629-GA[28] Pineland Road Fire 2026-04-21
DR-4830-GA[28] Hurricane Helene 2024-09-30
EM-3616-GA[28] Hurricane Helene 2024-09-26
DR-4821-GA[28] Tropical Storm Debby 2024-09-24
EM-3607-GA[28] Hurricane Debby 2024-08-05

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Hurricanes

Before

  • Know your hurricane risk, including rain, wind and tornadoes far inland from landfall.
  • Learn your evacuation zone and routes, and practice them with your household and pets.
  • Keep insurance policies and ID current, with password-protected digital copies.
  • Clear drains and gutters, bring in outdoor furniture and consider hurricane shutters.
  • Keep your phone charged, buy backup chargers and gather supplies, including medication and pet supplies.

During

  • If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone and officials order an evacuation, leave right away.
  • For high winds, take shelter in a designated storm shelter or an interior room.
  • If you are trapped by flooding, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, hurricanes

Wildfires

Before

  • Sign up for community alerts and watch for air quality alerts.
  • Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan, including for school, work and other places you go often.
  • Keep a fire-resistant zone of at least 30 feet around your home, clear of leaves and debris.
  • Use fire-resistant building materials and keep a hose long enough to reach every part of your property.
  • Pick a room you can seal off from outside air and keep a portable air cleaner ready.

During

  • Leave right away when authorities tell you to evacuate.
  • If you are trapped, call 9-1-1 with your location and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • If you are not ordered to leave but there is smoke, stay in a safe indoor place or go to a community building with less smoke.

Source: Ready.gov, wildfires

Questions people ask

Is Clinch County, Georgia at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Very Low compared with other US counties, with a score of 29.0 out of 100[17]. Inland flooding still has the largest Expected Annual Loss of any hazard here, at $2.1 million a year[8].
Does Clinch County get hurricanes?
FEMA rates hurricane risk Relatively Moderate for Clinch County, with a score of 82.2 out of 100[11]. OpenFEMA lists 8 hurricane declarations that include the county since 1977[2].
Does Clinch County have tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 9 tornadoes touching Clinch County from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively Low compared with other US counties[16].
How many disasters were declared in Clinch County?
OpenFEMA lists 18 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clinch County since 1977, 9 major disaster and 9 emergency or fire management[2].
How can I check the flood zone of an address in Clinch County?
Look up the address at FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[27]. County-level ratings do not give the flood zone of one address[27].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Clinch County is $4.6 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Very Low, score 11.2). Of this, buildings account for $3.5 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $508,000 and... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 18 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clinch County since 1977 (9 major disaster, 9 emergency or fire management). By incident type: hurricane 8, severe storm 3, tropical storm 3, fire 2, drought 1, flood 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 5 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Clinch County, 1 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $1,100 in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 9 recorded tornadoes touched Clinch County. The strongest were rated F2 (most recent of them on 2005-12-05). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-03-09. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Clinch County is Very Low, with a Risk Index score of 20.7 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Clinch County are hurricane (82.2, Relatively Moderate), wildfire (54.1, Very Low), drought (50.8, Relatively Low). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Clinch County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($2.1 million a year), hurricane ($1.6 million a year), tornado ($313,000 a year), out of $4.6 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Clinch County is Very High (score 97.4). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Clinch County is Relatively Moderate (score 43.0). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 82.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.6 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.29 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172... FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 54.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $37,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0019 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 50.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $95,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 27.08 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 36.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $72,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0013 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 35.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $82,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 75.54 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 29.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $313,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.4 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 29.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.1 million a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.14 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 28.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $75,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 4.53 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 15.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $95,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 1.21 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 13.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $27,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 1.68 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 11.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $51,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 1.04 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 4.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2,142 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.26 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 1.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $492 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Clinch County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 0.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $0 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Clinch County: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  26. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 55 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Clinch County, out of 2,896 residential structures, a penetration rate of 1.9%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 461 residential structures and 50 contracts, a rate of... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  27. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  28. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.