Natural hazards · Winchester

Winchester, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Winchester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 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 Winchester?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Winchester to be higher than in 6% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding57%Hurricanes9%Earthquakes8%Strong wind7%Tornadoes6%Heat waves6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Winchester faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 19 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Winchester flood?

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

9paid claims since 1978

$92Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Winchester 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 Winchester

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WinchesterDeclared for the county only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$156K to the City of Winchester for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$589K to the City of Winchester for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$174K to the City of Winchester for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

18 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, and Mudslide

$77K to the City of Winchester 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. Winchester covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Winchester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Winchester. 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 Winchester total about $6.1M 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.