Natural hazards · Chesapeake Beach

Chesapeake Beach, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chesapeake Beach comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 59 claims here since 1993. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chesapeake Beach?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chesapeake Beach to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding37%Hurricanes18%Heat waves12%Coastal flooding10%Strong wind7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Chesapeake Beach faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

10% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Chesapeake Beach flood?

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

59paid claims since 1993

$1.6Mpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 45 claims, $1.4M
Hurricane Fran: 1 claim, $104K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Calvert County.

Disasters that hit Chesapeake Beach

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Chesapeake BeachDeclared for Calvert County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$32K to the Town of Chesapeake Beach for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$11K to the Town of Chesapeake Beach for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$68K to the Town of Chesapeake Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$24K to the Town of Chesapeake Beach for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

69 households applied for aid $103K aid approved $147K to the Town of Chesapeake Beach for repairs

2003

Snow

$10K to the Town of Chesapeake Beach for repairs

Calvert County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. Chesapeake Beach covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chesapeake Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Chesapeake Beach. 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 Chesapeake Beach total about $462K 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.