Natural hazards · Morgantown

Morgantown, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Morgantown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2008. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Morgantown?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Morgantown to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes16%Strong wind7%Cold waves7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Morgantown faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 39 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Morgantown flood?

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

1paid claims since 2008

$11Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

Biggest named events

Storm: 1 claim, $11K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Morgan County.

Disasters that hit Morgantown

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MorgantownDeclared for Morgan County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

5 households applied for aid

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

97 households applied for aid $305K aid approved $5K to the Town of Morgantown for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$2K to the Town of Morgantown for repairs

Morgan County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Morgantown

Morgantown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Morgantownmostly inland floodingModerate

Jacksonmostly inland floodingModerate

Hensleymostly inland floodingModerate

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. Morgantown 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 Morgantown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Morgantown. 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.