Natural hazards · White Lake

White Lake, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in White Lake comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1999. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is White Lake?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in White Lake to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes54%Inland flooding28%Tornadoes6%Strong wind5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What White Lake faces

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

Hurricanes

54% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 White Lake flood?

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

10paid claims since 1999

$212Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 3 claims, $101K
Hurricane Florence: 3 claims, $82K
Hurricane Floyd: 3 claims, $28K

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. White 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: Bladen County.

Disasters that hit White Lake

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into White LakeDeclared for Bladen County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$7K to the Town of White Lake for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

12 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $143K to the Town of White Lake for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

16 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $372K to the Town of White Lake for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

2 households applied for aid $919 aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$56K to the Town of White Lake for repairs

Bladen County has had 21 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. White Lake 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 White Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of White Lake. 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.