Natural hazards · Woodfin

Woodfin, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Woodfin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2014. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Woodfin?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Woodfin to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding65%Cold waves17%Tornadoes5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Woodfin faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Woodfin flood?

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

8paid claims since 2014

$1.8Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20142026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 7 claims, $1.8M
Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $40K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Buncombe County.

Disasters that hit Woodfin

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WoodfinDeclared for Buncombe County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

225 households applied for aid $186K aid approved $6.5M to the Town of Woodfin for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$27K to the Town of Woodfin for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$41K to the Town of Woodfin for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

$34K to the Town of Woodfin for repairs

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

Around Woodfin

Woodfin and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Woodfinmostly inland floodingModerate

Ashevillemostly inland floodingLow

Weavervillemostly inland floodingLow

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. Woodfin covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Woodfin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Woodfin. 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 Woodfin total about $2.1M 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.