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Natural hazards · Irondale

Irondale, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Irondale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1982. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Irondale?

43
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Irondale to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding56%Tornadoes23%Cold waves8%Earthquakes5%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Irondale faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Cold waves

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Irondale flood?

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

11paid claims since 1982
$1.4Mpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ivan: 1 claim, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Irondale 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

2storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Irondale

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IrondaleDeclared for Jefferson County only
2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid
2014

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

3 households applied for aid
2011

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

51 households applied for aid $45K aid approved $36K to the City of Irondale for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina

$19K to the City of Irondale for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

12 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $28K to the City of Irondale for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $41K to the City of Irondale for repairs
2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$56K to the City of Irondale for repairs
Jefferson County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Irondale

Irondale and the towns around it

Birmingham: High, mostly inland floodingTrussville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLeeds: Moderate, mostly inland floodingVestavia Hills: High, mostly inland floodingMountain Brook: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCenter Point: Low, mostly inland floodingHomewood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHoover: High, mostly inland floodingForestdale: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMcDonald Chapel: High, mostly inland floodingMidfield: High, mostly inland floodingFultondale: Low, mostly inland floodingClay: Moderate, mostly inland floodingArgo: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMoody: High, mostly inland floodingGrayson Valley: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMargaret: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDunnavant: High, mostly inland floodingIrondale: Moderate, mostly inland flooding IrondaleBirminghamTrussvilleLeedsVestavia HillsMountain Brook
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Vestavia Hillsmostly inland floodingHigh
Birminghammostly inland floodingHigh
Leedsmostly inland floodingModerate
Mountain Brookmostly inland floodingModerate
Irondalemostly inland floodingModerate
Trussvillemostly 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. Irondale covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Irondale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Irondale. 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 Irondale total about $2.4M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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