Natural hazards · Heidelberg

Heidelberg, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Heidelberg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1998. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Heidelberg?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding27%Tornadoes26%Hurricanes13%Cold waves11%Hail6%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Heidelberg faces

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

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Hurricanes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Heidelberg flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Heidelberg, from FEMA’s records.

8paid claims since 1998

$83Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isaac: 1 claim, $3K
Late winter severe storms: 1 claim, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jasper County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Heidelberg

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HeidelbergDeclared for Jasper County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.

14 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

122 households applied for aid $291K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

2 households applied for aid

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

1,495 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods

4 households applied for aid $454 aid approved

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

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. Heidelberg covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Heidelberg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Heidelberg. 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 Heidelberg total about $1.0M 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.