Natural hazards · Calera

Calera, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Calera comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1998. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Calera?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Calera to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes28%Cold waves7%Earthquakes5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Calera faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 88 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Calera flood?

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

2paid claims since 1998

$70Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Shelby County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Calera

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaleraDeclared for Shelby County only

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

16 households applied for aid $163 aid approved $27K to the City of Calera for repairs

2011

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

11 households applied for aid $531 aid approved

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$11K to the City of Calera for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

35 households applied for aid $57K aid approved $20K to the City of Calera for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

Shelby County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Calera

Calera and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Caleramostly inland floodingHigh

Alabastermostly inland floodingModerate

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. Calera covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Calera’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Calera. 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 Calera total about $1.6M 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.