Natural hazards · Florida

Florida, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Florida comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 252 claims here since 1992. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Florida?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Florida to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding56%Hurricanes30%Cold waves6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Florida faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

30% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherLandslidesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Florida flood?

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

252paid claims since 1992

$3.7Mpaid to owners

47homes flooded more than once

19922026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 126 claims, $2.3M
Hurricane Irene: 61 claims, $550K
Hurricane Irma: 8 claims, $257K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dade County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Florida

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FloridaDeclared for Dade County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

3 households applied for aid

2022

Hurricane Ian

1 household applied for aid

2017

Hurricane Irma

3,988 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $4.3M to the City of Florida for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

909 households applied for aid $824K aid approved $686K to the City of Florida for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$197K to the City of Florida for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

318 households applied for aid $615K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

312 households applied for aid $307K aid approved

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$12K to the City of Florida for repairs

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$30K to the City of Florida for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations

$6K to the City of Florida for repairs

Dade County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Florida

Florida and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Homesteadmostly inland floodingVery high

Florida Citymostly inland floodingHigh

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. Florida covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Florida’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Florida. 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 Florida total about $2.7M 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.