Natural hazards · Leesburg

Leesburg, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Leesburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 24 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Leesburg?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Leesburg to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes30%Hurricanes10%Cold waves5%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Leesburg faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 70 years in the area

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Leesburg flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Leesburg, from FEMA’s records.

24paid claims since 1979

$666Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 11 claims, $435K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Leesburg isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

111flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Leesburg

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Leesburg itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Leesburg.

Brought FEMA money into LeesburgDeclared for Lee County only

2018

Hurricane Michael

1,586 households applied for aid $495K aid approved $116K to the City of Leesburg for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$23K to the City of Leesburg for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$14K to the City of Leesburg for repairs

Lee County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Leesburg is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Leesburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Leesburg. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.