Natural hazards · Spring Lake

Spring Lake, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Spring Lake comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2016. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Spring Lake?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Spring Lake to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding49%Hurricanes20%Tornadoes11%Heat waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Spring Lake faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Spring Lake flood?

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

5paid claims since 2016

$379Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 4 claims, $365K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cumberland County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Spring Lake

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Spring LakeDeclared for Cumberland County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

950 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved $5.8M to the Town of Spring Lake for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

522 households applied for aid $421K aid approved $159K to the Town of Spring Lake for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

47 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $6K to the Town of Spring Lake for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

3 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

30 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$32K to the Town of Spring Lake for repairs

Cumberland County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Spring Lake

Spring Lake and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Spring Lakemostly inland floodingModerate

Fayettevillemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Spring Lake covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Spring Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Spring Lake. 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 Spring Lake 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.