Natural hazards · Raleigh

Raleigh, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Raleigh comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Raleigh?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Raleigh to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding30%Hurricanes23%Tornadoes19%Hail7%Cold waves6%Strong wind6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Raleigh faces

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

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Raleigh flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Smith County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

34storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Raleigh

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RaleighDeclared for Smith County only

2025

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

51 households applied for aid $303K aid approved

2011

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

21 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

798 households applied for aid $501K aid approved $36K to the Town of Raleigh for repairs

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

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