Natural hazards · Opelika

Opelika, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Opelika comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1990. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Opelika?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Opelika to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding56%Heat waves9%Tornadoes9%Hurricanes8%Earthquakes8%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Opelika 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

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Opelika flood?

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

1paid claims since 1990

$600paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19902026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

56storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Opelika

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OpelikaDeclared for Lee County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

299 households applied for aid $810K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Irma

$4K to the City of Opelika for repairs

2015

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

$83K to the City of Opelika for repairs

2014

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

7 households applied for aid

2011

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

1 household applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$7K to the City of Opelika for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

206 households applied for aid $255K aid approved $246K to the City of Opelika for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $633 aid approved

Lee County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

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. Opelika covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Opelika’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Opelika. 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 Opelika total about $6.1M 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.