Natural hazards · Waynesboro

Waynesboro, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waynesboro comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Waynesboro?

79
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waynesboro to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes35%Inland flooding34%Tornadoes14%Cold waves6%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Waynesboro faces

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

Hurricanes

35% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 87 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Waynesboro flood?

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

23paid claims since 1979
$280Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $22K

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. Waynesboro 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

31storm safe rooms built
1buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit Waynesboro

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaynesboroDeclared for Wayne County only
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

39 households applied for aid $35K aid approved
2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

317 households applied for aid $281K aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

171 households applied for aid $64K aid approved
2012

Hurricane Isaac

4 households applied for aid $404 aid approved
2005

Hurricane Katrina

4,623 households applied for aid $5.0M aid approved
2004

Hurricane Ivan

830 households applied for aid $931K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods

120 households applied for aid $192K aid approved
Wayne County has had 25 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. Waynesboro covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waynesboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waynesboro. 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 Waynesboro total about $3.6M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01