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Natural hazards · Somerset

Somerset, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Somerset comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2012. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Somerset?

10
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Somerset to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Hurricanes9%Earthquakes8%Heat waves6%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Somerset faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% 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 windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Somerset flood?

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

3paid claims since 2012
$27Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
20122026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Somerset 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 Somerset

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SomersetDeclared for Montgomery County only
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$48K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$4K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$29K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$1K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$24K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$24K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2003

Hurricane Isabel

$5K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2003

Snow

$19K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2000

Severe Winter Storm

$7K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
Montgomery County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.
Around Somerset

Somerset and the towns around it

Bethesda: Very low, mostly inland floodingFriendship Heights Village: Very low, mostly inland floodingSouth Kensington: Very low, mostly inland floodingBrookmont: Very low, mostly inland floodingChevy Chase: Very low, mostly inland floodingNorth Bethesda: Very low, mostly inland floodingPotomac: Very low, mostly inland floodingChevy Chase: Very low, mostly inland floodingChevy Chase Village: Very low, mostly inland floodingGlen Echo: Very low, mostly inland floodingCabin John: Very low, mostly inland floodingWashington: Very low, mostly inland floodingSomerset: Very low, mostly inland flooding SomersetBethesdaFriendship Heights Village
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Somersetmostly inland floodingVery low
Bethesdamostly inland floodingVery low
Friendship Heights Villagemostly 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. Somerset covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Somerset’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Somerset. 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 Somerset total about $789K 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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