Natural hazards · Sweetwater

Sweetwater, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sweetwater comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 215 claims here since 1992. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sweetwater?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sweetwater to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding48%Hurricanes34%Heat waves6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Sweetwater faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

34% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold 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 Sweetwater flood?

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

215paid claims since 1992

$6.3Mpaid to owners

55homes flooded more than once

19922026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 40 claims, $1.3M
Hurricane Irma: 7 claims, $173K
Hurricane Katrina: 6 claims, $58K

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

Insurance rates: Dade County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Sweetwater

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SweetwaterDeclared for Dade County only

2017

Hurricane Irma

117 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $634K to the City of Sweetwater for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$2K to the City of Sweetwater for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

9 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $322K to the City of Sweetwater for repairs

2005

Tropical Storm Rita

$4K to the City of Sweetwater for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$174K to the City of Sweetwater for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

$30K to the City of Sweetwater for repairs

Dade County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Sweetwater

Sweetwater and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tamiamimostly inland floodingVery high

Sweetwatermostly inland floodingHigh

Fountainebleaumostly inland floodingHigh

Doralmostly hurricanesHigh

Westchestermostly 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. Sweetwater covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sweetwater’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sweetwater. 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 Sweetwater total about $3.9M 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.