Natural hazards · Westchase

Westchase, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Westchase comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 35 claims here since 1998. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Westchase?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Westchase to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes40%Inland flooding29%Tornadoes14%Cold waves11%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Westchase faces

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

Hurricanes

40% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailHeat 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 Westchase flood?

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

35paid claims since 1998

$1.4Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Milton: 13 claims, $752K
Hurricane Helene: 8 claims, $531K
Tropical Storm Debby: 4 claims, $57K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Westchase isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Hillsborough County.

Disasters that hit Westchase

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WestchaseDeclared for Hillsborough County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

13 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2024

Hurricane Helene

5 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2023

Hurricane Idalia

2 households applied for aid

2022

Hurricane Ian

8 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Irma

4 households applied for aid

2004

Hurricane Frances

1 household applied for aid

Hillsborough County has had 41 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Westchase

Westchase and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

East Lakemostly inland floodingHigh

Keystonemostly inland floodingHigh

Citrus Parkmostly hurricanesHigh

Town 'n' Countrymostly hurricanesHigh

Westchasemostly hurricanesModerate

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. Westchase covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Westchase’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Westchase. 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 Westchase total about $7.8M 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.