Natural hazards · Lake Butler

Lake Butler, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lake Butler comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1992. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Lake Butler?

72
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lake Butler to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes56%Inland flooding26%Tornadoes7%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Lake Butler faces

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

Hurricanes

56% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lake Butler flood?

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

11paid claims since 1992
$175Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19922026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Debby: 1 claim, $8K
  • Hurricane Frances: 1 claim, $2K
  • Hurricane Irma: 1 claim, $35K

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. Lake Butler isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Union County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings retrofitted against wind
1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Lake Butler

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Lake ButlerDeclared for Union County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

7 households applied for aid $1K aid approved
2024

Hurricane Helene

527 households applied for aid $775K aid approved $15K to the City of Lake Butler for repairs
2024

Hurricane Debby

$14K to the City of Lake Butler for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

1 household applied for aid
2017

Hurricane Irma

1,158 households applied for aid $420K aid approved $37K to the City of Lake Butler for repairs
2012

Tropical Storm Debby

89 households applied for aid $112K aid approved
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

1 household applied for aid $25K to the City of Lake Butler for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

315 households applied for aid $307K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

341 households applied for aid $447K aid approved $46K to the City of Lake Butler for repairs
Union County has had 27 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. Lake Butler 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 Lake Butler’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lake Butler. 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.

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