Lee County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lee County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Lee County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 46 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Lee County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1966, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (5), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 35.1 | 29 | 0 | $150K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 43.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.4 | 4 | 0 | $400K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 74.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 31.2 | 12 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 55.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 67.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 5.3 | 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
Lee County ranks in the 26th percentile (Low) 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 16th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 50th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 68th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 24th | Very low |
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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 23 in 2021–25 (0% — 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 Lee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lee County, Georgia are hurricane, drought, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Lee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lee County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 declarations).
Has Lee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lee County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Lee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dougherty County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Webster County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Lee County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Lee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lee 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. Lee County's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.