Natural hazards · Machias

Machias, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Machias comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Machias?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Machias to be higher than in 55% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding43%Hurricanes27%Ice storms9%Cold waves6%Coastal flooding6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Machias faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Ice storms

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Machias flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Machias 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 Machias

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MachiasDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$6K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$34K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$2K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$3K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2003

Snow

$5K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2001

Snow

$4K to the Town of Machias for repairs

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

Around Machias

Machias and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Machiasmostly inland floodingModerate

Marshfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Whitneyvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Roque Bluffsmostly hurricanesModerate

Machiasportmostly inland floodingModerate

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