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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 427 claims here since 1979. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Melbourne?

89
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Melbourne to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes76%Inland flooding18%Everything else6%
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

76% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Ice 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 Melbourne flood?

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

427paid claims since 1979
$9.3Mpaid to owners
44homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Fay: 170 claims, $3.7M
  • Hurricane Irma: 72 claims, $3.5M
  • Hurricane Jeanne: 18 claims, $520K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Melbourne is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Brevard County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

22buildings retrofitted against wind
2storm safe rooms built
1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Melbourne

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MelbourneDeclared for Brevard County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

2,323 households applied for aid $757K aid approved $730K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2022

Hurricane Nicole

326 households applied for aid $232K aid approved $182K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2022

Hurricane Ian

2,789 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $346K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2019

Hurricane Dorian

$400K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

12,080 households applied for aid $5.9M aid approved $6.2M to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2016

Hurricane Matthew

720 households applied for aid $215K aid approved $579K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

2,082 households applied for aid $4.3M aid approved $441K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2005

Hurricane Wilma

213 households applied for aid $256K aid approved $895K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

7,607 households applied for aid $7.2M aid approved $2.4M to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2004

Hurricane Ivan

133 households applied for aid $10K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

10,082 households applied for aid $7.1M aid approved $2.9M to the City of Melbourne for repairs
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

211 households applied for aid $118K aid approved $77K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$721K to the City of Melbourne for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$107K to the City 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 hurricanesPalm Bay: Very high, mostly hurricanesIndian Harbour Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesMelbourne Village: Very high, mostly hurricanesPalm Shores: Very high, mostly hurricanesMerritt Island: Very high, mostly hurricanesJune Park: Very high, mostly hurricanesGrant-Valkaria: Very high, mostly hurricanesMalabar: Very high, mostly hurricanesMicco: Very high, mostly hurricanesSatellite Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesCocoa Beach: Very high, mostly hurricanesSouth Patrick Shores: Very high, mostly hurricanesNorth Merritt Island: Very high, mostly hurricanesRockledge: Very high, mostly hurricanesCocoa: Very high, mostly hurricanesMelbourne: Very high, mostly hurricanes MelbourneWest MelbournePalm BayIndian Harbour BeachMelbourne VillagePalm ShoresMerritt Island
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Melbourne Villagemostly hurricanesVery high
Melbournemostly hurricanesVery high
Palm Baymostly hurricanesVery high
West Melbournemostly hurricanesVery high
Merritt Islandmostly hurricanesVery high
Indian Harbour Beachmostly hurricanesVery high
Palm Shoresmostly 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 covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.
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 City of Melbourne. 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 Melbourne total about $52.3M 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.

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