Natural hazards · Belmont

Belmont, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Belmont comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2010. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Belmont?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Belmont to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes18%Earthquakes8%Ice storms6%Strong wind6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Belmont faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Belmont flood?

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

2paid claims since 2010

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20102026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $6K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gaston County.

Disasters that hit Belmont

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BelmontDeclared for Gaston County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

509 households applied for aid $255K aid approved

Gaston County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Belmont

Belmont and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mount Hollymostly inland floodingModerate

Cramertonmostly inland floodingModerate

Belmontmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Belmont covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Belmont’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Belmont. 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 Belmont total about $2.8M 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.