Natural hazards · Lewes

Lewes, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lewes comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 98 claims here since 1981. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lewes?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lewes to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding37%Hurricanes36%Cold waves15%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Lewes faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

36% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lewes flood?

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

98paid claims since 1981

$967Kpaid to owners

15homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 36 claims, $380K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Lewes is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Sussex County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

10homes raised above flood level

2buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Lewes

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LewesDeclared for Sussex County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

$37K to the City of Lewes for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$21K to the City of Lewes for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$3K to the City of Lewes for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$20K to the City of Lewes for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

4 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $10K to the City of Lewes for repairs

2003

Snow

$7K to the City of Lewes for repairs

Sussex County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter 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. Lewes covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lewes’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lewes. 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 Lewes total about $2.3M 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.