Natural hazards · Walhalla

Walhalla, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walhalla comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1994. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Walhalla?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walhalla to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves47%Inland flooding34%Tornadoes7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Walhalla faces

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

Cold waves

47% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Walhalla flood?

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

1paid claims since 1994

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oconee County.

Disasters that hit Walhalla

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WalhallaDeclared for Oconee County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

$18K to the City of Walhalla for repairs

2024

Hurricane Helene

902 households applied for aid $613K aid approved $356K to the City of Walhalla for repairs

2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

10 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2020

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

$47K to the City of Walhalla for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$35K to the City of Walhalla for repairs

2005

Severe Ice Storm

$9K to the City of Walhalla for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

3 households applied for aid

Oconee County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe 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. Walhalla covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walhalla’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Walhalla. 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 Walhalla total about $2.1M 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.