Natural hazards · Samson

Samson, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Samson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1990. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Samson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Samson to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding49%Hurricanes27%Tornadoes7%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Samson 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

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Samson flood?

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

3paid claims since 1990

$51Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 1 claim, $37K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Geneva County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23storm safe rooms built

12flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Samson

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SamsonDeclared for Geneva County only

2020

Hurricane Sally

1 household applied for aid

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line

61 households applied for aid $268K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

146 households applied for aid $158K aid approved

Geneva County has had 28 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. Samson is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Samson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Samson. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.