Natural hazards · Cleveland

Cleveland, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cleveland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 82 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cleveland?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding65%Cold waves17%Tornadoes11%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Cleveland 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 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cleveland flood?

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

82paid claims since 1978

$2.1Mpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 4 claims, $235K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cuyahoga County.

Disasters that hit Cleveland

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClevelandDeclared for Cuyahoga County only

2012

Severe Storms and Flooding Due to the Remnants of Hurricane Sandy

$7.3M to the City of Cleveland for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding

3,240 households applied for aid $936K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$84K to the City of Cleveland for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

23,091 households applied for aid $9.4M aid approved $126K to the City of Cleveland for repairs

2003

Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

38,325 households applied for aid $35.9M aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid

Cuyahoga County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Cleveland

Cleveland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Brook Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Shaker Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate

Clevelandmostly inland floodingLow

Brooklynmostly inland floodingLow

Linndalemostly inland floodingLow

East Clevelandmostly inland floodingLow

Cleveland Heightsmostly inland floodingVery low

Bratenahlmostly inland floodingVery low

Cuyahoga Heightsmostly inland floodingVery low

Fairview Parkmostly inland floodingVery low

Euclidmostly inland floodingVery low

Garfield Heightsmostly inland floodingVery low

Lakewoodmostly 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. Cleveland covers 159 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cleveland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cleveland. 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 Cleveland total about $87.1M 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.