Natural hazards · Florence

Florence, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Florence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1981. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Florence?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Florence to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding29%Earthquakes21%Cold waves20%Tornadoes17%Strong wind6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Florence faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

21% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Florence flood?

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

26paid claims since 1981

$503Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19812026

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. Florence isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lauderdale County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

61storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Florence

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FlorenceDeclared for Lauderdale County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

$2.7M to the City of Florence for repairs

2011

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

279 households applied for aid $59K aid approved $1.9M to the City of Florence for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$120K to the City of Florence for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

19 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

82 households applied for aid $131K aid approved $105K to the City of Florence for repairs

1998

Riv-Severe Winter Wx 12/23/98

$160K to the City of Florence for repairs

Lauderdale County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Florence covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Florence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Florence. 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 Florence total about $17.3M 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.