Natural hazards · Covington

Covington, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Covington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 180 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Covington?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Covington to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding59%Strong wind27%Cold waves7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Covington faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Strong wind

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Covington flood?

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

180paid claims since 1978

$1.9Mpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

November 2009 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $1K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $4K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: the county.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Covington

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CovingtonDeclared for the county only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

1 household applied for aid

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$90K to the City of Covington for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$21K to the City of Covington for repairs

the county has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. Covington covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Covington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Covington. 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 Covington total about $4.7M 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.