Natural hazards · Palatka

Palatka, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Palatka comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2001. 15 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Palatka?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Palatka to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes52%Inland flooding32%Tornadoes8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Palatka faces

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

Hurricanes

52% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailCold 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 Palatka flood?

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

7paid claims since 2001

$122Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20012026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 3 claims, $66K
Hurricane Irma: 3 claims, $27K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $28K

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

Insurance rates: Putnam County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Palatka

15 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PalatkaDeclared for Putnam County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

1,530 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $91K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2024

Hurricane Helene

569 households applied for aid $849K aid approved $46K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$32K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2022

Hurricane Nicole

145 households applied for aid $109K aid approved $16K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

2,180 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $163K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$29K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

5,338 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved $1.8M to the City of Palatka for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

712 households applied for aid $383K aid approved $143K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2012

Tropical Storm Debby

$10K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2009

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

$3K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$54K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

1,493 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved $213K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

2,135 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $149K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

$14K to the City of Palatka for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm Gabrielle

$5K to the City of Palatka for repairs

Putnam County has had 32 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. Palatka covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Palatka’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Palatka. 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 Palatka total about $6.1M 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.