Natural hazards · Memphis

Memphis, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Memphis comes from heat waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Memphis?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Memphis to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from heat waves and inland flooding.

Heat waves53%Inland flooding16%Tornadoes15%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Memphis faces

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

Heat waves

53% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Memphis flood?

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

Disasters that hit Memphis

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MemphisDeclared for Scotland County only

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$14K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$13K to the City of Memphis for repairs

Scotland County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Memphis covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Memphis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Memphis. 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 Memphis total about $2.1M 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.