Natural hazards · Warwick

Warwick, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Warwick comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 616 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Warwick?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Warwick to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding69%Hurricanes10%Earthquakes5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Warwick faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Warwick flood?

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

616paid claims since 1978

$12.7Mpaid to owners

49homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

March 2010 Nor'easter: 266 claims, $8.5M
Hurricane Bob: 47 claims, $352K
Not a named storm: 41 claims, $188K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Warwick is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Kent County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Warwick

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WarwickDeclared for Kent County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

304 households applied for aid $749K aid approved

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

129 households applied for aid $207K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$211K to the City of Warwick for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$246K to the City of Warwick for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$364K to the City of Warwick for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$196K to the City of Warwick for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$600K to the City of Warwick for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4,491 households applied for aid $6.8M aid approved $10.4M to the City of Warwick for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$228K to the City of Warwick for repairs

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

Around Warwick

Warwick and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cranstonmostly inland floodingModerate

West Warwickmostly inland floodingModerate

Barringtonmostly inland floodingLow

East Greenwichmostly inland floodingLow

Warwickmostly inland floodingLow

North Kingstownmostly inland floodingLow

East Providencemostly inland floodingVery low

Portsmouthmostly 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. Warwick covers 22 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Warwick’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Warwick. 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 Warwick total about $14.9M 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.