Natural hazards · Potomac

Potomac, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Potomac comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 30 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Potomac?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Potomac to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding65%Hurricanes10%Earthquakes7%Heat waves5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Potomac faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Potomac flood?

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

30paid claims since 1979

$577Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 2 claims, $49K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Montgomery County.

Disasters that hit Potomac

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PotomacDeclared for Montgomery County only

2003

Hurricane Isabel

18 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

Montgomery County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Potomac

Potomac and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Great Fallsmostly inland floodingLow

McLeanmostly inland floodingVery low

Travilahmostly inland floodingVery low

Cabin Johnmostly inland floodingVery low

Potomacmostly inland floodingVery low

Bethesdamostly inland floodingVery low

North Bethesdamostly inland floodingVery low

Rockvillemostly inland floodingVery low

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. Potomac covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Potomac’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Potomac. 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 Potomac total about $10.1M 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.