Natural hazards · Williston

Williston, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williston comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Williston?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williston to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and tornadoes.

Earthquakes47%Tornadoes19%Inland flooding16%Cold waves8%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Williston faces

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

Earthquakes

47% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 17 years in the area

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

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 Williston flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Williston.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Fayette County.

Disasters that hit Williston

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WillistonDeclared for Fayette County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

31 households applied for aid $97K aid approved

2010

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

19 households applied for aid $62K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, High Winds, and Heavy Rain

6 households applied for aid $29K aid approved

Fayette County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Williston 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 Williston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Williston. 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.