Natural hazards · Calais

Calais, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Calais comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Calais?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Calais to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding40%Hurricanes24%Ice storms11%Cold waves9%Lightning5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Calais faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Ice storms

11% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lightning

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

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 Calais flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Calais 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 Calais

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CalaisDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$82K to the City of Calais for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$13K to the City of Calais for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$185K to the City of Calais for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$1K to the City of Calais for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$15K to the City of Calais for repairs

2003

Snow

$14K to the City of Calais for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Cold and Frost

$5K to the City of Calais for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$8K to the City of Calais for repairs

2001

Snow

$15K to the City of Calais for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$11K to the City of Calais for repairs

Washington County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Calais

Calais and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Baring plantationmostly inland floodingModerate

Calaismostly inland floodingModerate

Robbinstonmostly hurricanesLow

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. Calais covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Calais’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Calais. 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 Calais total about $628K 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.