Natural hazards · Clifton

Clifton, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clifton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1983. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clifton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clifton to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes18%Cold waves16%Earthquakes7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Clifton faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Clifton flood?

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

12paid claims since 1983

$243Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 4 claims, $168K
Heavy rains: 2 claims, $23K

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

Insurance rates: Wayne County.

Disasters that hit Clifton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CliftonDeclared for Wayne County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

16 households applied for aid $57K aid approved $52K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

13 households applied for aid $41K aid approved

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$15K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2010

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

65 households applied for aid $146K aid approved

2008

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

26 households applied for aid $40K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $50K aid approved $5K to the City of Clifton for repairs

Wayne County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Clifton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clifton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Clifton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.