Natural hazards · Forestdale

Forestdale, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Forestdale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1983. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Forestdale?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Forestdale to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding51%Tornadoes22%Cold waves11%Earthquakes6%Heat waves5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Forestdale faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Forestdale flood?

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

5paid claims since 1983

$47Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Claudette: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Forestdale

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ForestdaleDeclared for Jefferson County only

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

2011

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

42 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $958 aid approved

Jefferson County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Forestdale

Forestdale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Brooksidemostly inland floodingHigh

Birminghammostly inland floodingHigh

Forestdalemostly inland floodingModerate

Adamsvillemostly inland floodingLow

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. Forestdale covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Forestdale’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Forestdale. 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 Forestdale total about $1.1M 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.