Natural hazards · Sumiton

Sumiton, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sumiton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sumiton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sumiton to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes24%Cold waves9%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Sumiton faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 48 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% 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 Sumiton flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Sumiton.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Walker County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Sumiton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SumitonDeclared for Walker County only

2011

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

45 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

14 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2002

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

9 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $13K to the City of Sumiton for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the City of Sumiton for repairs

Walker 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. Sumiton 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 Sumiton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sumiton. 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.