Natural hazards · Oneonta

Oneonta, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oneonta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1982. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Oneonta?

41
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oneonta to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding42%Tornadoes37%Cold waves5%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Oneonta faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

37% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% 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 Oneonta flood?

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

13paid claims since 1982
$750Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Opal: 1 claim, $22K
  • Early winter storms: 1 claim, $500K

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. Oneonta isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Blount County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

51storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Oneonta

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OneontaDeclared for Blount County only
2020

Severe Thunderstorms

$21K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2015

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

$23K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2014

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

81 households applied for aid $97K aid approved
2011

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

65 households applied for aid $30K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Ivan

7 households applied for aid $3K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $23K aid approved
2002

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2001

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$432K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
Blount County has had 23 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. Oneonta covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oneonta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Oneonta. 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 Oneonta 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.

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