Natural hazards · Whigham

Whigham, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Whigham comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Whigham?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Whigham to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes34%Inland flooding26%Tornadoes17%Cold waves13%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Whigham faces

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

Hurricanes

34% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 17 years in the area

Cold waves

13% 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 Whigham flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Whigham.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Grady County.

Disasters that hit Whigham

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WhighamDeclared for Grady County only

2018

Hurricane Michael

339 households applied for aid $138K aid approved $9K to the City of Whigham for repairs

2009

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

$11K to the City of Whigham for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$4K to the City of Whigham for repairs

Grady County has had 12 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. Whigham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Whigham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Whigham. 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 Whigham total about $1.7M 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.