Natural hazards · Palm Bay

Palm Bay, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Palm Bay comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 151 claims here since 1995. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Palm Bay?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes72%Inland flooding19%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Palm Bay faces

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

Hurricanes

72% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice 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 Palm Bay flood?

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

151paid claims since 1995

$3.9Mpaid to owners

18homes flooded more than once

19952026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Fay: 51 claims, $1.5M
Hurricane Irma: 28 claims, $1.4M
Hurricane Jeanne: 25 claims, $556K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Palm Bay 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

19buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

1buildings floodproofed

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Palm Bay

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Palm BayDeclared for Brevard County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

3,772 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $1.0M to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2022

Hurricane Nicole

258 households applied for aid $94K aid approved $12K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

3,204 households applied for aid $850K aid approved $13K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$184K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

14,549 households applied for aid $4.4M aid approved $2.6M to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

616 households applied for aid $91K aid approved $1.4M to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

681 households applied for aid $543K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Wilma

204 households applied for aid $110K aid approved $224K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

11,068 households applied for aid $8.2M aid approved $4.6M to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

137 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

12,351 households applied for aid $7.1M aid approved $4.5M to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

171 households applied for aid $68K aid approved $9K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$79K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$44K to the City of Palm Bay for repairs

Brevard County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Palm Bay

Palm Bay and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Miccomostly hurricanesVery high

Grant-Valkariamostly hurricanesVery high

Malabarmostly hurricanesVery high

Palm Baymostly 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. Palm Bay covers 22 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Palm Bay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Palm Bay. 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 Palm Bay total about $60.3M 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.