Natural hazards · Miami

Miami, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Miami comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 790 claims here since 1984. 16 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Miami?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Miami to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding60%Ice storms10%Tornadoes8%Strong wind6%Heat waves6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Miami faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Ice storms

10% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 19 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Miami flood?

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

790paid claims since 1984

$22.7Mpaid to owners

72homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Thunderstorms: 206 claims, $9.6M
Early winter storms: 1 claim, $15K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (42) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ottawa County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

246storm safe rooms built

125flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Miami

16 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MiamiDeclared for Ottawa County only

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $18K aid approved

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

134 households applied for aid $238K aid approved $207K to the City of Miami for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$117K to the City of Miami for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$11K to the City of Miami for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$6K to the City of Miami for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $479 aid approved $23K to the City of Miami for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$9K to the City of Miami for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$27K to the City of Miami for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$16K to the City of Miami for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$59K to the City of Miami for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$28K to the City of Miami for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $126K aid approved $6K to the City of Miami for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$1.0M to the City of Miami for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

765 households applied for aid $4.7M aid approved $1.5M to the City of Miami for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$280K to the City of Miami for repairs

Ottawa County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice 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. Miami covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Miami’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Miami. 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 Miami total about $6.8M 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.