Natural hazards · Waycross

Waycross, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waycross comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waycross?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waycross to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes37%Inland flooding36%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Waycross faces

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

Hurricanes

37% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Waycross flood?

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

22paid claims since 1979

$233Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 4 claims, $53K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ware County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Waycross

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaycrossDeclared for Ware County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

9,671 households applied for aid $9.2M aid approved $648K to the City of Waycross for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$10K to the City of Waycross for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$118K to the City of Waycross for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$183K to the City of Waycross for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

$90K to the City of Waycross for repairs

2009

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

26 households applied for aid $203K aid approved

Ware County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

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. Waycross covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

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

FEMA’s expected losses across Waycross total about $2.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.