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Natural hazards · Alexandria

Alexandria, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alexandria comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 298 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Alexandria?

42
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alexandria to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding66%Heat waves8%Strong wind6%Hurricanes5%Earthquakes5%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Alexandria faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Alexandria flood?

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

298paid claims since 1978
$7.7Mpaid to owners
39homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Isabel: 40 claims, $1.7M
  • Hurricane Fran: 6 claims, $88K
  • Tropical Storm Ernesto: 2 claims, $66K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Alexandria is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: the county.
Disasters that hit Alexandria

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AlexandriaDeclared for the county only
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$955K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2011

The Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$797K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$286K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$1.7M to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$623K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$1.5M to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2003

Hurricane Isabel

796 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $812K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, and Mudslide

$203K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
2000

Severe Winter Storms

$261K to the City of Alexandria for repairs
the county has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.
Around Alexandria

Alexandria and the towns around it

Washington: Very low, mostly inland floodingArlington: Very low, mostly inland floodingLincolnia: Very low, mostly inland floodingBailey's Crossroads: Very low, mostly inland floodingRose Hill: Very low, mostly inland floodingHuntington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBelle Haven: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSilver Spring: Very low, mostly inland floodingBrookmont: Very low, mostly inland floodingBethesda: Very low, mostly inland floodingTakoma Park: Very low, mostly inland floodingMcLean: Very low, mostly inland floodingFalls Church: Very low, mostly inland floodingAnnandale: Very low, mostly inland floodingSpringfield: Very low, mostly inland floodingFranconia: Very low, mostly inland floodingLake Barcroft: Low, mostly inland floodingSeven Corners: Very low, mostly inland floodingKingstowne: Very low, mostly inland floodingGroveton: Low, mostly inland floodingFort Hunt: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlexandria: Moderate, mostly inland flooding AlexandriaWashingtonArlingtonLincolniaBailey's CrossroadsRose HillHuntingtonBelle Haven
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Belle Havenmostly inland floodingModerate
Huntingtonmostly inland floodingModerate
Alexandriamostly inland floodingModerate
Arlingtonmostly inland floodingVery low
Rose Hillmostly inland floodingVery low
Lincolniamostly inland floodingVery low
Bailey's Crossroadsmostly inland floodingVery low
Washingtonmostly inland floodingVery low
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. Alexandria covers 48 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alexandria’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Alexandria. 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 Alexandria total about $40.1M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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