HazardFacts

All states › Georgia › Harris County

Natural hazard risk in Harris 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)
$8.4 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1977
13[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$118,000[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
23[4]

FEMA rates the overall natural hazard risk for Harris County, Georgia as Very Low compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are lightning, hurricane 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's National Risk Index estimates $8.4 million a year in Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Harris County[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. By FEMA's figures, the largest hazard-type losses come from inland flooding ($5.4 million a year), tornado ($837,000 a year) and lightning ($562,000 a year)[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability as Relatively Low (score 23.7)[9]. That rating describes how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience as Relatively Moderate (score 52.3), which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10]. FEMA says the index does not predict the damage a community will have in the next year[7].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
LightningRelatively Moderate$562,000[11]
HurricaneRelatively Low$384,000[12]
DroughtRelatively Low$170,000[13]
WildfireVery Low$51,000[14]
Heat WaveRelatively Low$361,000[15]
LandslideVery Low$974[16]
EarthquakeVery Low$187,000[17]
Inland FloodingRelatively Low$5.4 million[18]
HailRelatively Low$193,000[19]
TornadoRelatively Low$837,000[20]
Ice StormVery Low$27,000[21]
Strong WindRelatively Low$197,000[22]
Cold WaveVery Low$32,000[23]
Winter WeatherVery Low$3,769[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 vulnerabilityRelatively Low23.7[9]
Community resilienceRelatively Moderate52.3[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Harris County as Relatively Low (score 39.7 of 100), with Expected Annual Loss of $5.4 million a year[18]. OpenFEMA lists 78 residential flood insurance contracts in force out of 14,568 residential structures, as of 2026-08-03[26]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 22.1% of homes are insured[26]. OpenFEMA records 11 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $118,000 in total[3]. To check a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[27].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[18] Relatively Low, $5.4 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 78 of 14,568 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[26] 149, of which 33 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 11 filed, $118,000 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 13 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Harris County since 1977[2]. Hurricane declarations number 6 and severe storm declarations number 3[2]. The most recent is EM-3657-GA for Hurricane Isaias, declared 2026-10-09[28]. NOAA's tornado database records 23 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024, and the strongest were rated EF2[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Harris County, since 1977
Incident type Declarations
Hurricane[2] 6
Severe Storm[2] 3
Tropical Storm[2] 2
Winter Storm[2] 1
Drought[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
EM-3657-GA[28] Hurricane Isaias 2026-10-09
EM-3642-GA[28] Severe Winter Storm 2026-01-24
EM-3616-GA[28] Hurricane Helene 2024-09-26
DR-4338-GA[28] Hurricane Irma 2017-09-15
EM-3387-GA[28] Hurricane Irma 2017-09-08

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 Harris County, Georgia at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Low compared with other US counties, with a score of 39.7[18]. Inland flooding makes up $5.4 million a year of the county's Expected Annual Loss estimate[8].
Does Harris County, Georgia get tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 23 tornadoes that touched Harris County from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively Low compared with other US counties[20].
How many disasters have been declared in Harris County, Georgia?
OpenFEMA lists 13 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1977[2]. The most recent is EM-3657-GA, declared 2026-10-09[28].
What is the earthquake risk in Harris County, Georgia?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Very Low compared with other US counties, with a score of 41.4[17].
How can I check my flood zone?
Flood zones apply to specific properties. Look up an address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[27].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Harris County is $8.4 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Very Low, score 28.3). Of this, buildings account for $6.7 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $1.5 million and... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 13 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Harris County since 1977 (7 major disaster, 6 emergency or fire management). By incident type: hurricane 6, severe storm 3, tropical storm 2, winter storm 1, drought 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 11 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Harris County, 5 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $118,000 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): 23 recorded tornadoes touched Harris County. The strongest were rated EF2 (most recent of them on 2011-04-27). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-05-27. 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 Harris 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 Harris County are lightning (69.8, Relatively Moderate), hurricane (64.7, Relatively Low), drought (50.5, Relatively Low). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores;... 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 Harris County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($5.4 million a year), tornado ($837,000 a year), lightning ($562,000 a year), out of $8.4 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 Harris County is Relatively Low (score 23.7). 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 Harris County is Relatively Moderate (score 52.3). 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), lightning in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 69.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $562,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 64.33 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 64.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $384,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.08 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the... FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 50.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $170,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 48.06 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), wildfire in Harris County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 49.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $51,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0011 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 46.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $361,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 4.74 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Harris County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 43.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $974 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Harris County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 41.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $187,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0013 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 39.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $5.4 million a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.43 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 38.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $193,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.46 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 36.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $837,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.34 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Harris County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 25.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $27,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.49 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Harris County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 19.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $197,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.74 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Harris County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 5.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $32,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.42 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Harris County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 4.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3,769 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.79 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Harris 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): 78 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Harris County, out of 14,568 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.5%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 149 residential structures and 33 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.