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Natural hazards · Fernandina Beach

Fernandina Beach, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fernandina Beach comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 199 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Fernandina Beach?

44
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fernandina Beach to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding32%Hurricanes31%Coastal flooding19%Tornadoes6%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Fernandina Beach faces

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

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

31% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Coastal flooding

19% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce 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 Fernandina Beach flood?

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

199paid claims since 1978
$1.8Mpaid to owners
12homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Floyd: 60 claims, $663K
  • Hurricane Irma: 16 claims, $296K
  • Tropical Storm Debby: 12 claims, $147K

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. Fernandina Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Nassau County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit Fernandina Beach

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Fernandina BeachDeclared for Nassau County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

5 households applied for aid
2022

Hurricane Ian

1 household applied for aid $700 aid approved
2017

Hurricane Irma

1,828 households applied for aid $636K aid approved $1.5M to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
2016

Hurricane Matthew

357 households applied for aid $168K aid approved $7.5M to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
2012

Tropical Storm Debby

29 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $19K to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

41 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $115K to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

80 households applied for aid $49K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

91 households applied for aid $50K aid approved $484K to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

$18K to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$341K to the City of Fernandina Beach for repairs
Nassau County has had 31 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
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. Fernandina Beach covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fernandina Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fernandina Beach. 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 Fernandina Beach total about $3.1M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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