Natural hazards · Castalia

Castalia, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Castalia comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Castalia?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Castalia to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes28%Inland flooding28%Tornadoes13%Drought10%Heat waves5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Castalia faces

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

Hurricanes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 16 years in the area

Drought

10% of expected damage

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Castalia flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Nash County.

Disasters that hit Castalia

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CastaliaDeclared for Nash County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

4 households applied for aid

2016

Hurricane Matthew

18 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $19K to the Town of Castalia for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

20 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

20 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$2K to the Town of Castalia for repairs

Nash County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter 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. Castalia 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 Castalia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Castalia. 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.