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Rhea County, Tennessee
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 374 storm events in Rhea County, Tennessee, led by damaging wind.
That is 118.6 events per 100 square miles, in line with the Tennessee figure of 112.2, and 112.9 per 10,000 residents against 66.4 statewide.
1 event fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 1 death and 6 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $17M and crop damage at $253K.
FEMA has designated the county in 21 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Winter Storm (major disaster, 6 Feb 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 82 claims since 1978, of which 59 were paid, totalling $1.7M (about $29K per paid claim). FEMA counts 106 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Low" and its expected annual loss as "Very Low" ($14M a year across 18 hazards).
7 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Tennessee and the United States
| Measure | Rhea County | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 374 | 46,283 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 118.6 | 112.2 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 112.9 | 66.4 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 1 | 1,524 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 1 | 804 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $17M | $9.2B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 2.5 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $29K | $33K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 13.2 | 20.9 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 195 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 169 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Dec 2015 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $15K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | — | $25K | $75K | — | 4 | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | Tornado | EF4 | $2.0M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $8.4M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Feb 2003 | Flood | Flood | — | $3.3M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2005 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1983 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Dec 2015 | Flood | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2004 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Feb 2026 | DR-4898 | Major disaster | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 24 Jan 2026 | EM-3635 | Emergency | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 2 Apr 2025 | EM-3625 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 27 Sep 2023 | DR-4742 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado | Public assistance |
| 17 May 2023 | DR-4712 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado | Public assistance |
| 2 Apr 2020 | DR-4514 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3473 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 17 Apr 2019 | DR-4427 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 23 Jun 2017 | DR-4320 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 2 Apr 2015 | DR-4211 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 1 May 2011 | DR-1974 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Associated Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 5 Sep 2005 | EM-3217 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 7 Oct 2004 | DR-1568 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 8 May 2003 | DR-1464 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 20 Mar 2003 | DR-1456 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 3 Nov 2001 | FM-2387 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Tn - Chattanooga Fire Complex - 11/03/01 | Public assistance |
| 20 Apr 1998 | DR-1215 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 13 Jan 1998 | DR-1197 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 14 Mar 1993 | EM-3095 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 4 Jan 1991 | DR-889 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 21 Mar 1973 | DR-366 | Major disaster | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | $5,112 | $5,112 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2019 | 12 | 11 | $1,000,910 | $90,992 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2014 | 2 | 2 | $24,953 | $12,477 |
| 2013 | 6 | 5 | $136,822 | $27,364 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2004 | 17 | 15 | $318,757 | $21,250 |
| 2003 | 20 | 12 | $55,637 | $4,636 |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | $1,680 | $1,680 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | $3,726 | $3,726 |
| 1993 | 4 | 2 | $3,433 | $1,716 |
| 1992 | 2 | 2 | $2,518 | $1,259 |
| 1991 | 1 | 1 | $2,545 | $2,545 |
| 1990 | 7 | 5 | $84,800 | $16,960 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1980 | 1 | 1 | $46,500 | $46,500 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $8,471,509 | |
| Tornado | $1,318,326 | |
| Cold wave | $1,179,841 | |
| Earthquake | $1,045,185 | |
| Strong wind | $746,073 | |
| Lightning | $285,590 | |
| Hail | $125,728 | |
| Heat wave | $105,067 | |
| Drought | $53,836 | |
| Winter weather | $45,589 | |
| Hurricane | $45,451 | |
| Ice storm | $39,553 | |
| Wildfire | $37,327 | |
| Landslide | $19,601 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helene | 2024 | 83 mi | 46 mph |
| Zeta | 2020 | 79 mi | 52 mph |
| Frederic | 1979 | 100 mi | 40 mph |
| Audrey | 1957 | 89 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1932 | 35 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 63 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1892 | 87 mi | 46 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Rhea County, TN?
NCEI records 65 hail events in Rhea County since 1950, in 27 different years; that is about 0.8 recorded events a year. 12 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Rhea County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 4 tornadoes in Rhea County since 1950, 1 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Rhea County?
6 Feb 2026: Severe Winter Storm, a major disaster declaration for winter storm. The county appears in 21 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Rhea County, and how much was paid?
82 NFIP claims since 1978, 59 of them paid, for $1.7M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Rhea County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Low" for overall risk, "Very Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Moderate" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Rhea County compare with the rest of Tennessee?
118.6 recorded events per 100 square miles against 112.2 statewide, and 2.5 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 2.5. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.