Natural hazards · Tempe

Tempe, AZ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tempe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Tempe?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tempe to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding58%Heat waves38%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Tempe faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Heat waves

38% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 23 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Tempe flood?

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

22paid claims since 1978

$246Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Tempe is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Maricopa County.

Disasters that hit Tempe

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TempeDeclared for Maricopa County only

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$302K to the City of Tempe for repairs

Maricopa County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Tempe

Tempe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tempemostly inland floodingHigh

Scottsdalemostly inland floodingHigh

Mesamostly inland floodingHigh

Phoenixmostly heat wavesModerate

Chandlermostly heat wavesModerate

Guadalupemostly heat wavesLow

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. Tempe covers 41 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tempe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tempe. 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 Tempe total about $102M 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.