Natural hazards · Gulf Stream

Gulf Stream, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gulf Stream comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gulf Stream?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gulf Stream to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes51%Inland flooding27%Coastal flooding18%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Gulf Stream faces

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

Hurricanes

51% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

18% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice 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 Gulf Stream flood?

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

22paid claims since 1978

$324Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 5 claims, $49K
Hurricane Irma: 2 claims, $237K
Tropical Storm Mitch: 1 claim, $14K

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

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

Insurance rates: Palm Beach County.

Disasters that hit Gulf Stream

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Gulf StreamDeclared for Palm Beach County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

1 household applied for aid

2017

Hurricane Irma

8 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $85K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

$14K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

30 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $218K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

1 household applied for aid $58K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $66K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$25K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$1K to the Town of Gulf Stream for repairs

Palm Beach County has had 31 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and freezes.

Around Gulf Stream

Gulf Stream and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gulf Streammostly hurricanesHigh

Delray Beachmostly hurricanesHigh

Boynton Beachmostly 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. Gulf Stream 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 Gulf Stream’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Gulf Stream. 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.