Natural hazards · Margaret

Margaret, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Margaret comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Margaret?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Margaret to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding45%Tornadoes32%Cold waves6%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Margaret faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 53 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Margaret flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Margaret.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Clair County.

Disasters that hit Margaret

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MargaretDeclared for St. Clair County only

2011

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

12 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

6 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $926 aid approved $5K to the City of Margaret for repairs

St. Clair County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Margaret

Margaret and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Argomostly inland floodingModerate

Margaretmostly inland floodingModerate

Odenvillemostly 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. Margaret covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Margaret’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Margaret. 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 Margaret 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.