Natural hazards · Smithsburg

Smithsburg, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smithsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Smithsburg?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smithsburg to be higher than in 9% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding54%Hurricanes15%Tornadoes8%Heat waves7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Smithsburg faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year 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 Smithsburg flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Smithsburg.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Smithsburg

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmithsburgDeclared for Washington County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$26K to the Town of Smithsburg for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$11K to the Town of Smithsburg for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2003

Snow

$11K to the Town of Smithsburg for repairs

Washington County has had 14 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. Smithsburg 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 Smithsburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Smithsburg. 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.