Natural hazards · Balm

Balm, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Balm comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Balm?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Balm to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes33%Inland flooding29%Tornadoes16%Cold waves14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Balm faces

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

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 71 years in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsWinter weatherAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Balm flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hillsborough County.

Disasters that hit Balm

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BalmDeclared for Hillsborough County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

5 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2024

Hurricane Helene

1 household applied for aid

2022

Hurricane Ian

7 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Irma

1 household applied for aid

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

20 households applied for aid $87K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

4 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Hillsborough County has had 41 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Balm

Balm and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sun City Centermostly inland floodingHigh

Riverviewmostly inland floodingHigh

Wimaumamostly hurricanesHigh

Balmmostly hurricanesHigh

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. Balm 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 Balm’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Balm. 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.