Natural hazards · Meridian

Meridian, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Meridian comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 126 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Meridian?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Meridian to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves33%Inland flooding30%Tornadoes18%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Meridian faces

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

Cold waves

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Meridian flood?

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

126paid claims since 1979

$2.7Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 2 claims, $38K
Hurricane Ivan: 1 claim, $999

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Meridian is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lauderdale County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

29storm safe rooms built

11flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Meridian

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MeridianDeclared for Lauderdale County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

6 households applied for aid

2021

Severe Winter Storms

$262K to the City of Meridian for repairs

2017

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

18 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$16K to the City of Meridian for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$27K to the City of Meridian for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

11,341 households applied for aid $9.5M aid approved $3.3M to the City of Meridian for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$14K to the City of Meridian for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

1,339 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $936K to the City of Meridian for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods

265 households applied for aid $613K aid approved $350K to the City of Meridian for repairs

Lauderdale County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and tornadoes.

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. Meridian covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Meridian’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Meridian. 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 Meridian total about $20.2M 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.