Natural hazards · Lake Helen

Lake Helen, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lake Helen comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2022. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lake Helen?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes39%Inland flooding38%Tornadoes14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Lake Helen faces

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

Hurricanes

39% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsWinter weatherDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Helen flood?

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

3paid claims since 2022

$25Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20222026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ian: 2 claims, $14K
Hurricane Milton: 1 claim, $11K

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 Helen isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Volusia County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Lake Helen

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Lake HelenDeclared for Volusia County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

286 households applied for aid $343K aid approved $492K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

2022

Hurricane Nicole

22 households applied for aid $61K aid approved

2022

Hurricane Ian

390 households applied for aid $339K aid approved $19K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

576 households applied for aid $213K aid approved $75K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

66 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $239K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

2009

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

2 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

15 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid $4K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

105 households applied for aid $104K aid approved $85K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

4 households applied for aid $232 aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

247 households applied for aid $208K aid approved $141K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

220 households applied for aid $156K aid approved $117K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$5K to the City of Lake Helen for repairs

Volusia County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Lake Helen

Lake Helen and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lake Helenmostly hurricanesHigh

DeLandmostly 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. Lake Helen covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lake Helen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lake Helen. 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 Lake Helen total about $2.1M 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.

Lake Helen, FL natural hazards

How exposed is Lake Helen?

What Lake Helen faces

Hurricanes

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Lake Helen flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Nicole

Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Matthew

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

Tropical Storm Fay

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Hurricane Jeanne

Hurricane Ivan

Hurricane Frances

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

Lake Helen and the towns around it

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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