Natural hazards · Vernon

Vernon, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vernon comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1991. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vernon?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vernon to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes61%Inland flooding18%Tornadoes11%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Vernon faces

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

Hurricanes

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice stormsAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Vernon flood?

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

14paid claims since 1991

$240Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19912026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 4 claims, $93K
Hurricane Sally: 2 claims, $80K
Tropical Storm Fred: 1 claim, $3K

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

22flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

3homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Vernon

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into VernonDeclared for Washington County only

2020

Hurricane Sally

7 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $92K to the City of Vernon for repairs

2018

Hurricane Michael

384 households applied for aid $349K aid approved $151K to the City of Vernon for repairs

2014

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

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$191K to the City of Vernon for repairs

2009

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

24 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$3K to the City of Vernon for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

111 households applied for aid $212K aid approved $16K to the City of Vernon for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$8K to the City of Vernon for repairs

Washington 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. Vernon 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 Vernon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Vernon. 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.