Natural hazards · Madison

Madison, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Madison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 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 Madison?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Madison to be higher than in 56% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes20%Cold waves13%Earthquakes9%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Madison faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% 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 Madison flood?

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

16paid claims since 1983

$197Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 4 claims, $54K

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

Insurance rates: Madison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

27storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Madison

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MadisonDeclared for Madison County only

2011

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

2,607 households applied for aid $308K aid approved $340K to the City of Madison for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

17 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

31 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $41K to the City of Madison for repairs

1998

Riv-Severe Winter Wx 12/23/98

$26K to the City of Madison for repairs

Madison County has had 19 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. Madison covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Madison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Madison. 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 Madison total about $22.2M 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.