Natural hazards · Waynesboro

Waynesboro, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waynesboro comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 293 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 Waynesboro?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waynesboro to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Strong wind6%Earthquakes5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Waynesboro faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Waynesboro flood?

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

293paid claims since 1978

$6.2Mpaid to owners

53homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 59 claims, $1.3M
Hurricane Fran: 58 claims, $1.4M
Tropical Storm Ivan: 3 claims, $32K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (16) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Waynesboro 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

30flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

19homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Waynesboro

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaynesboroDeclared for the county only

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$68K to the City of Waynesboro for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$64K to the City of Waynesboro for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

129 households applied for aid $359K aid approved $87K to the City of Waynesboro for repairs

the county has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Waynesboro

Waynesboro and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waynesboromostly inland floodingModerate

Lyndhurstmostly inland floodingLow

Doomsmostly inland floodingLow

Fishersvillemostly 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. Waynesboro covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waynesboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waynesboro. 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 Waynesboro total about $6.2M 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.