Natural hazards · Cape Charles

Cape Charles, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cape Charles comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1985. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cape Charles?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cape Charles to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and strong winds.

Hurricanes54%Strong wind16%Inland flooding12%Drought7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Cape Charles faces

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

Hurricanes

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Strong wind

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cape Charles flood?

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

11paid claims since 1985

$95Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 3 claims, $61K
Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $16K
Tropical Storm Ernesto: 2 claims, $7K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Cape Charles is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Cape Charles

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Cape Charles itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Cape Charles.

Brought FEMA money into Cape CharlesDeclared for Northampton County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$291K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$32K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

2011

Earthquake

$6K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'east

$61K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

2006

Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

38 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $8K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3K to the Town of Cape Charles for repairs

Northampton County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Cape Charles 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 Cape Charles’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Cape Charles. 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.