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Natural hazard risk in Citrus County, Florida

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively High (score 94.6 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$112.1 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1968
39[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$384.9 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
52[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) gives Citrus County an overall natural hazard rating of Relatively High[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores in this county are hurricane, lightning and coastal flooding[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA rates hurricane risk Very High compared with other US counties[7]. FEMA estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $112.1 million a year[1]. By FEMA's estimate, the largest shares come from hurricane, inland flooding and coastal flooding, in that order[8]. Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of average yearly loss, and the index does not predict next year's damage[9]. FEMA rates social vulnerability Very High[10]. FEMA describes this as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause[10]. FEMA rates community resilience Very Low, meaning a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[11].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
HurricaneVery High$82.1 million[7]
LightningRelatively High$1.3 million[12]
Coastal FloodingRelatively High$5.3 million[13]
WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.0 million[14]
TornadoRelatively Moderate$4.5 million[15]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$15.3 million[16]
Heat WaveRelatively Low$815,000[17]
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$663,000[18]
Cold WaveRelatively Low$932,000[19]
EarthquakeVery Low$95,000[20]
LandslideVery Low$261[21]
DroughtVery Low$1,944[22]
HailVery Low$18,000[23]
Winter WeatherVery Low$0[24]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, ice storm, volcanic activity[25].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityVery High82.2[10]
Community resilienceVery Low6.8[11]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates coastal flooding Relatively High and inland flooding Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[13][16]. OpenFEMA lists 5,549 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03[26]. OpenFEMA also shows that 39.3% of homes inside the Special Flood Hazard Area are insured[26]. OpenFEMA's NFIP claims show 7,076 claims filed for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $384.9 million in total[3]. For a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[27].

Measure Value
Coastal Flooding, FEMA risk rating[13] Relatively High, $5.3 million expected loss a year
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[16] Relatively Moderate, $15.3 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 5,549 of 78,835 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[26] 12,092, of which 4,747 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 7,076 filed, $384.9 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[27]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 39 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Citrus County since 1968[2]. Hurricane declarations number 21 of them[2]. NOAA's tornado database records 52 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-06-16[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Citrus County, since 1968
Incident type Declarations
Hurricane[2] 21
Tropical Storm[2] 6
Severe Storm[2] 6
Freezing[2] 3
Fire[2] 2
Tornado[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
EM-3655-FL[28] Hurricane Isaias 2026-10-09
DR-4834-FL[28] Hurricane Milton 2024-10-11
EM-3622-FL[28] Hurricane Milton 2024-10-07
DR-4828-FL[28] Hurricane Helene 2024-09-28
EM-3615-FL[28] Tropical Storm Helene 2024-09-24

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Hurricanes

Before

  • Know your hurricane risk, including rain, wind and tornadoes far inland from landfall.
  • Learn your evacuation zone and routes, and practice them with your household and pets.
  • Keep insurance policies and ID current, with password-protected digital copies.
  • Clear drains and gutters, bring in outdoor furniture and consider hurricane shutters.
  • Keep your phone charged, buy backup chargers and gather supplies, including medication and pet supplies.

During

  • If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone and officials order an evacuation, leave right away.
  • For high winds, take shelter in a designated storm shelter or an interior room.
  • If you are trapped by flooding, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, hurricanes

Floods

Before

  • Check your flood risk with FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and remember that floods do not follow map lines.
  • Sign up for your community's warning system. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts alerts.
  • Buy flood insurance through the NFIP well before a disaster. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and a new policy typically takes up to 30 days to go into effect.
  • Make a household plan with evacuation routes, shelter locations and what to do in a flash flood.
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container and make password-protected digital copies.

During

  • If you are told to evacuate, leave right away and never drive around barricades.
  • Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
  • If you are trapped in a building, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, floods

Wildfires

Before

  • Sign up for community alerts and watch for air quality alerts.
  • Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan, including for school, work and other places you go often.
  • Keep a fire-resistant zone of at least 30 feet around your home, clear of leaves and debris.
  • Use fire-resistant building materials and keep a hose long enough to reach every part of your property.
  • Pick a room you can seal off from outside air and keep a portable air cleaner ready.

During

  • Leave right away when authorities tell you to evacuate.
  • If you are trapped, call 9-1-1 with your location and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • If you are not ordered to leave but there is smoke, stay in a safe indoor place or go to a community building with less smoke.

Source: Ready.gov, wildfires

Questions people ask

Is Citrus County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates coastal flooding Relatively High and inland flooding Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[13][16]. FEMA's flood maps apply to specific addresses, so check the Flood Map Service Center[27].
Is Citrus County at risk of hurricanes?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates hurricane risk Very High in Citrus County compared with other US counties[7]. OpenFEMA lists 21 hurricane declarations that include the county[2].
Is Citrus County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[15]. NOAA's tornado database records 52 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4].
Is Citrus County at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Very Low compared with other US counties[20].
How many disasters have been declared in Citrus County?
OpenFEMA lists 39 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Citrus County since 1968[2].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Citrus County is $112.1 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Moderate, score 91.6). Of this, buildings account for $99.7 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $11.8... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 39 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Citrus County since 1968 (22 major disaster, 17 emergency or fire management). By incident type: hurricane 21, tropical storm 6, severe storm 6, freezing 3, fire 2, tornado 1. Biological (such as... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 7,076 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Citrus County, 6,236 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $384.9 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid).... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 52 recorded tornadoes touched Citrus County. The strongest were rated F3 (most recent of them on 1983-04-09). 1 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-06-16. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Citrus County is Relatively High, with a Risk Index score of 94.6 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Citrus County are hurricane (98.7, Very High), lightning (95.5, Relatively High), coastal flooding (92.6, Relatively High). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores;... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 98.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $82.1 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.27 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the... FEMA National Risk Index
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Citrus County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are hurricane ($82.1 million a year), inland flooding ($15.3 million a year), coastal flooding ($5.3 million a year), out of $112.1 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Citrus County is Very High (score 82.2). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Citrus County is Very Low (score 6.8). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 95.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.3 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 91.51 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), coastal flooding in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 92.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $5.3 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 3.6712 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 90.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.0 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0031 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 89.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.5 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.61 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 83.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $15.3 million a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.75 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of... FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 75.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $815,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 2.65 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 70.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $663,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.9 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 59.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $932,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.32 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 38.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $95,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0005 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 33.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $261 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 18.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1,944 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 18.06 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 9.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $18,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 1.66 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Citrus County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 1.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $0 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Citrus County: avalanche, ice storm, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  26. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 5,549 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Citrus County, out of 78,835 residential structures, a penetration rate of 7%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 12,092 residential structures and 4,747 contracts, a... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  27. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  28. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.