Natural hazards · Memphis

Memphis, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Memphis comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 345 claims here since 1978. 16 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Memphis?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Memphis to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes44%Inland flooding24%Tornadoes12%Cold waves11%Heat waves8%

By hazard

What Memphis faces

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

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 22 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Memphis flood?

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

345paid claims since 1978

$10.0Mpaid to owners

45homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 31 claims, $1.5M
Late spring storms: 30 claims, $1.7M
Central U.S. April Flooding: 12 claims, $138K

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

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

Insurance rates: Shelby County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4storm safe rooms built

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Memphis

16 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MemphisDeclared for Shelby County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

46,245 households applied for aid $82.0M aid approved $92K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2025

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

$99K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2023

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$1.9M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storm

$17.4M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

$205K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$9.7M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$1.6M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2011

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

$1.2M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2011

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

3,292 households applied for aid $7.7M aid approved $4.0M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2011

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

$967K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2010

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

17,054 households applied for aid $12.2M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2009

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

$1.7M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2008

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

1,688 households applied for aid $422K aid approved $407K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$164K to the City of Memphis for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, High Winds, and Heavy Rain

38,322 households applied for aid $20.1M aid approved $9.6M to the City of Memphis for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

226 households applied for aid $153K aid approved

Shelby County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Memphis

Memphis and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Memphismostly earthquakesVery high

Memphismostly earthquakesHigh

Germantownmostly inland floodingHigh

Olive Branchmostly earthquakesModerate

Southavenmostly earthquakesModerate

Bartlettmostly inland floodingModerate

Lakelandmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Memphis covers 183 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Memphis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Memphis. 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 Memphis total about $388M 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.