Natural hazards · Gulf Breeze

Gulf Breeze, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gulf Breeze comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 538 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gulf Breeze?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gulf Breeze to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes72%Inland flooding10%Tornadoes8%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Gulf Breeze faces

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

Hurricanes

72% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 79 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce 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 Gulf Breeze flood?

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

538paid claims since 1978

$34.7Mpaid to owners

61homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ivan: 204 claims, $20.2M
Mid-spring storms: 88 claims, $7.3M
Hurricane Opal: 51 claims, $826K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Gulf Breeze is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Santa Rosa County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1,208buildings retrofitted against wind

35homes raised above flood level

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Gulf Breeze

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Gulf BreezeDeclared for Santa Rosa County only

2020

Hurricane Sally

1,066 households applied for aid $635K aid approved $3.5M to the City of Gulf Breeze for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

1 household applied for aid

2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

893 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved $1.2M to the City of Gulf Breeze for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$13K to the City of Gulf Breeze for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

2 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$119K to the City of Gulf Breeze for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

2,765 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Gulf Breeze for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

7,530 households applied for aid $12.3M aid approved $24.3M to the City of Gulf Breeze for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

1 household applied for aid

Santa Rosa County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Gulf Breeze

Gulf Breeze and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pensacolamostly hurricanesVery high

Oriole Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Midwaymostly hurricanesVery high

Gulf Breezemostly hurricanesVery high

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. Gulf Breeze covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gulf Breeze’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gulf Breeze. 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 Gulf Breeze total about $4.4M 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.