Natural hazards · Emmitsburg

Emmitsburg, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Emmitsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Emmitsburg?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Emmitsburg to be higher than in 3% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes8%Heat waves8%Hurricanes6%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Emmitsburg faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 88 years in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Emmitsburg flood?

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

9paid claims since 1979

$41Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Frederick County.

Disasters that hit Emmitsburg

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EmmitsburgDeclared for Frederick County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the Town of Emmitsburg for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$12K to the Town of Emmitsburg for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$16K to the Town of Emmitsburg for repairs

2003

Snow

$7K to the Town of Emmitsburg for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$4K to the Town of Emmitsburg for repairs

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