Natural hazards · Willoughby

Willoughby, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Willoughby comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Willoughby?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Willoughby to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding75%Tornadoes8%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Willoughby faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Willoughby flood?

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

38paid claims since 1978

$528Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 1 claim, $8K

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

Insurance rates: Lake County.

Disasters that hit Willoughby

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilloughbyDeclared for Lake County only

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$72K to the City of Willoughby for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding

318 households applied for aid $476K aid approved $310K to the City of Willoughby for repairs

Lake County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Willoughby

Willoughby and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Willoughby Hillsmostly inland floodingLow

Kirtlandmostly inland floodingLow

Waite Hillmostly inland floodingVery low

Willoughbymostly inland floodingVery low

Eastlakemostly inland floodingVery low

Mentormostly inland floodingVery low

Willowickmostly inland floodingVery low

Wickliffemostly 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. Willoughby covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Willoughby’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Willoughby. 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 Willoughby total about $4.5M 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.