Natural hazards · Waldo

Waldo, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waldo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waldo?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waldo to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding46%Hurricanes20%Cold waves12%Winter weather7%Ice storms6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Waldo faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Winter weather

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 36 times a year in the area

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat 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 Waldo flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Waldo County.

Disasters that hit Waldo

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaldoDeclared for Waldo County only

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$12K to the Town of Waldo for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Waldo for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7K to the Town of Waldo for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$30K to the Town of Waldo for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$17K to the Town of Waldo for repairs

Waldo County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Waldo

Waldo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waldomostly inland floodingModerate

Brooksmostly inland floodingModerate

Swanvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Morrillmostly inland floodingModerate

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