Natural hazards · Norwalk

Norwalk, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Norwalk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 20 claims here since 1981. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Norwalk?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Norwalk to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding58%Tornadoes13%Lightning8%Cold waves6%Strong wind6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Norwalk faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Lightning

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslides

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Norwalk flood?

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

20paid claims since 1981

$442Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 4 claims, $98K
Tropical Storm Erin: 1 claim, $14K

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. Norwalk isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Huron County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Norwalk

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorwalkDeclared for Huron County only

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$25K to the City of Norwalk for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding

367 households applied for aid $425K aid approved

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $16K to the City of Norwalk for repairs

2004

Snow

$20K to the City of Norwalk for repairs

Huron County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Norwalk

Norwalk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Norwalkmostly inland floodingModerate

Ridgefieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Norwalkmostly 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. Norwalk covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Norwalk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Norwalk. 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 Norwalk total about $1.1M 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.