Fulton County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fulton County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Fulton County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, inland flooding, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 92 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Fulton County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1975, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1975.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 52.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.7 | 48 | 0 | $625K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97 | 10 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 74.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.9 | 34 | 0 | $6.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Fulton County ranks in the 66th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 66th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 56th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 93rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 92 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 48 in 2016–20 vs 44 in 2021–25 (-8% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Fulton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fulton County, Georgia are lightning, inland flooding, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Fulton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fulton County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Fulton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Fulton County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Fulton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cobb County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Fayette County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Fulton County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Fulton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fulton County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Fulton County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.