Natural hazards · Pelham

Pelham, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pelham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 545 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pelham?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pelham to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes27%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Pelham faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 95 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Pelham flood?

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

545paid claims since 1979

$13.7Mpaid to owners

99homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 22 claims, $79K
Early winter storms: 5 claims, $159K
Hurricane Ivan: 2 claims, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (46) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Shelby County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

18storm safe rooms built

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Pelham

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PelhamDeclared for Shelby County only

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

221 households applied for aid $930K aid approved

2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

21 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $187K to the City of Pelham for repairs

2011

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

23 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $14K to the City of Pelham for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

17 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $85K to the City of Pelham for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $37K aid approved

Shelby County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Pelham

Pelham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pelhammostly inland floodingHigh

Helenamostly inland floodingHigh

Chelseamostly inland floodingHigh

Hoovermostly inland floodingHigh

Eagle Pointmostly inland floodingHigh

Alabastermostly inland floodingModerate

Indian Springs Villagemostly 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. Pelham covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pelham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pelham. 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 Pelham total about $17.7M 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.