Natural hazards · Suffolk

Suffolk, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Suffolk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 163 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 Suffolk?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Suffolk to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding35%Hurricanes26%Drought10%Tornadoes7%Everything else22%

By hazard

What Suffolk faces

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

Inland flooding

35% 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

Drought

10% of expected damage

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Suffolk flood?

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

163paid claims since 1978

$5.2Mpaid to owners

24homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 36 claims, $2.1M
November 2009 Nor'easter: 20 claims, $660K
Hurricane Floyd: 17 claims, $304K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Suffolk 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.

Disasters that hit Suffolk

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SuffolkDeclared for the county only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

299 households applied for aid $489K aid approved $562K to the City of Suffolk for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$1.0M to the City of Suffolk for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

3,003 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $4.8M to the City of Suffolk for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storms

$59K to the City of Suffolk for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$475K to the City of Suffolk for repairs

the county has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Suffolk

Suffolk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carrsvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Chesapeakemostly inland floodingModerate

Portsmouthmostly inland floodingLow

Suffolkmostly inland floodingLow

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. Suffolk covers 36 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Suffolk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Suffolk. 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 Suffolk total about $25.4M 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.