Natural hazards · Winchester

Winchester, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Winchester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2017. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Winchester?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Winchester to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes18%Cold waves17%Earthquakes14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Winchester faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

14% 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 Winchester flood?

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

3paid claims since 2017

$29Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20172026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Winchester

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WinchesterDeclared for Franklin County only

1998

Severe Winter Storm

$16K to the City of Winchester for repairs

Franklin County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Winchester

Winchester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cowanmostly inland floodingHigh

Decherdmostly inland floodingModerate

Winchestermostly 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. Winchester covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Winchester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Winchester. 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 Winchester total about $4.2M 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.