Natural hazards · Griffith

Griffith, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Griffith comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 215 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Griffith?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Griffith to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding43%Cold waves27%Tornadoes22%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Griffith faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

27% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Griffith flood?

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

215paid claims since 1979

$2.8Mpaid to owners

27homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 20 claims, $811K
Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lake County.

Disasters that hit Griffith

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GriffithDeclared for Lake County only

2026

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

1,687 households applied for aid $2.8M aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

13 households applied for aid

2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Town of Griffith for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

348 households applied for aid $453K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

32 households applied for aid $37K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

358 households applied for aid $816K aid approved

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $564 aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $4K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

Lake County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Griffith

Griffith and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Highlandmostly inland floodingHigh

Northmostly inland floodingModerate

St. Johnmostly inland floodingModerate

Scherervillemostly inland floodingLow

Merrillvillemostly inland floodingLow

Griffithmostly inland floodingLow

Rossmostly inland floodingLow

Calumetmostly inland floodingLow

Garymostly inland floodingLow

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. Griffith covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Griffith’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Griffith. 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 Griffith total about $5.6M 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.