Natural hazards · Melvindale

Melvindale, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Melvindale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low 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 Melvindale?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Melvindale to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding55%Cold waves18%Tornadoes11%Heat waves9%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Melvindale faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Melvindale flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wayne County.

Disasters that hit Melvindale

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MelvindaleDeclared for Wayne County only

2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

174 households applied for aid $411K aid approved

2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

128 households applied for aid $162K aid approved

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

106 households applied for aid $56K aid approved $3K to the City of Melvindale for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$9K to the City of Melvindale for repairs

Wayne County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Melvindale

Melvindale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Allen Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Lincoln Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Dearbornmostly inland floodingLow

Melvindalemostly inland floodingLow

Detroitmostly inland floodingLow

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. Melvindale covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Melvindale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Melvindale. 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 Melvindale total about $2.4M 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.