Natural hazards · Satsuma

Satsuma, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Satsuma comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 85 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Satsuma?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Satsuma to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes47%Inland flooding43%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Satsuma faces

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

Hurricanes

47% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Satsuma flood?

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

85paid claims since 1979

$1.3Mpaid to owners

20homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Georges: 6 claims, $66K
Hurricane Katrina: 3 claims, $103K
Tropical Storm Isidore: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Mobile County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Satsuma

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SatsumaDeclared for Mobile County only

2020

Hurricane Zeta

49 households applied for aid $47K aid approved $87K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2020

Hurricane Sally

215 households applied for aid $336K aid approved $340K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$44K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2014

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

20 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $2K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$16K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$5K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

914 households applied for aid $551K aid approved $132K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

92 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $28K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

431 households applied for aid $321K aid approved $78K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

64 households applied for aid $58K aid approved

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$10K to the City of Satsuma for repairs

Mobile County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Satsuma

Satsuma and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Saralandmostly inland floodingVery high

Satsumamostly hurricanesVery high

Mobilemostly hurricanesVery high

Creolamostly hurricanesVery high

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. Satsuma covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Satsuma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Satsuma. 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 Satsuma total about $6.2M 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.