Natural hazards · Portsmouth

Portsmouth, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Portsmouth comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,333 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Portsmouth?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Portsmouth to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding41%Hurricanes26%Tornadoes7%Heat waves6%Cold waves5%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Portsmouth faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Portsmouth flood?

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

1,333paid claims since 1978

$19.9Mpaid to owners

253homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

November 2009 Nor'easter: 308 claims, $5.1M
Hurricane Isabel: 281 claims, $3.2M
Hurricane Matthew: 161 claims, $4.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 5 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (28) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Portsmouth is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: the county.

Disasters that hit Portsmouth

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PortsmouthDeclared for the county only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

564 households applied for aid $687K aid approved $478K to the City of Portsmouth for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$738K to the City of Portsmouth for repairs

2009

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

$434K to the City of Portsmouth for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

3,456 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $7.2M to the City of Portsmouth for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$2.4M to the City of Portsmouth for repairs

the county has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Portsmouth

Portsmouth and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Chesapeakemostly inland floodingModerate

Portsmouthmostly inland floodingLow

Suffolkmostly inland floodingLow

Norfolkmostly inland floodingLow

Hamptonmostly inland floodingVery low

Newport Newsmostly 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. Portsmouth covers 31 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Portsmouth’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Portsmouth. 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 Portsmouth total about $18.2M 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.