Natural hazards · Alderson

Alderson, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alderson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 179 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Alderson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding72%Cold waves18%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Alderson faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Alderson flood?

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

179paid claims since 1979

$3.4Mpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Summer severe storms: 52 claims, $1.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Greenbrier County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

8homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Alderson

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AldersonDeclared for Greenbrier County only

2025

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$72K to the Town of Alderson for repairs

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

243 households applied for aid $506K aid approved $3.9M to the Town of Alderson for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

49 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $105K to the Town of Alderson for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

2 households applied for aid

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$6K to the Town of Alderson for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

31 households applied for aid $42K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and Landslides

7 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

Greenbrier County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Alderson is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alderson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Alderson. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.