Natural hazards · Melbourne

Melbourne, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Melbourne comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1982. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Melbourne?

90
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Melbourne to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes73%Inland flooding22%Everything else5%
By hazard

What Melbourne faces

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

Hurricanes

73% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce 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 Melbourne flood?

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

13paid claims since 1982
$281Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Fay: 6 claims, $112K
  • Hurricane Irma: 4 claims, $148K

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

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MelbourneDeclared for Brevard County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

2 households applied for aid
2022

Hurricane Nicole

1 household applied for aid
2022

Hurricane Ian

3 households applied for aid
2017

Hurricane Irma

25 households applied for aid $30K aid approved
2016

Hurricane Matthew

2 households applied for aid
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

9 households applied for aid $169 aid approved $16K to the Town of Melbourne for repairs
2004

Hurricane Frances

17 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $14K to the Town of Melbourne for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

1 household applied for aid
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$8K to the Town of Melbourne for repairs
Brevard County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.
Around Melbourne

Melbourne and the towns around it

West Melbourne: Very high, mostly hurricanesMelbourne: Very high, mostly hurricanesJune Park: Very high, mostly hurricanesPalm Bay: Very high, mostly hurricanesIndian Harbour Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesPalm Shores: Very high, mostly hurricanesMerritt Island: Very high, mostly hurricanesMelbourne Village: Very high, mostly hurricanes Melbourne VillageWest MelbourneMelbourne
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Melbourne Villagemostly hurricanesVery high
Melbournemostly hurricanesVery high
West Melbournemostly 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. Melbourne 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 Melbourne’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Melbourne. 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