Citrus County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Citrus County, Florida has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 95% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $112 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $730 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (Hurricane Isaias). About 1 in 14 homes here carry federal flood insurance (5,549 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $384 million on 7,076 claims here, including $172 million for floods in 2024.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Citrus County
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 98.8 | $82M | ||
| Inland flooding | 83.2 | $15M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 92.6 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 89.0 | $5M | ||
| Lightning | 95.5 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 90.5 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 59.5 | $932K | ||
| Heat wave | 75.9 | $815K | ||
| Strong wind | 70.3 | $663K | ||
| Earthquake | 38.6 | $95K | ||
| Hail | 9.0 | $18K | ||
| Drought | 18.6 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 33.0 | $261 | ||
| Winter weather | 1.2 | $0 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Citrus County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 39
Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1962
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 356 storm reports in Citrus County since 1962, with 4 deaths and 23 injuries and about $28.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 9, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 1983 | F3 | – | 2 / 3 |
| Sep 3, 1998 | F2 | Crystal River | 2 / 0 |
| Oct 12, 2023 | EF2 | Inglis | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 25, 1988 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1993 | F1 | Crystal River | 3 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2021 | Flood | Red Level | $10M |
| Mar 12, 1993 | Tornado | Crystal River | $5M |
| Apr 9, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jan 2, 1998 | Flood | Holder | $2M |
| Jun 20, 2003 | Flash Flood | Crystal River | $502K |
| Sep 3, 1998 | Tornado | Crystal River | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 2025. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1852, 23 hurricanes and 45 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Citrus County, 21 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with top winds near 125 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 5, 1950 | Easy | Category 3, 120 mph | 49 mi |
| Oct 25, 1921 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 4, 1935 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 10, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 2, 110 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 10, 1878 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 45 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 2022 | Nicole | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 51 mi |
| Jul 7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 11, 2017 | Irma | Category 1, 75 mph | 51 mi |
| Jun 26, 2012 | Debby | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 22, 2008 | Fay | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 65 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Citrus County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Citrus County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 84,929 housing units.
Compare in Florida
All 67 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | Inland flooding | |
| Broward County | Inland flooding | |
| Palm Beach County | Hurricane | |
| Hillsborough County | Hurricane | |
| Orange County | Inland flooding | |
| Duval County | Inland flooding | |
| Pinellas County | Hurricane | |
| Lee County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 36 | |
| Hernando County | 38 | |
| Sumter County | 32 | |
| Levy County | 43 |
Common questions about Citrus County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Citrus County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Citrus County, about $82.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $15.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Citrus County had?
Citrus County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Isaias in October 2026.
Is Citrus County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 21st highest of 67 in Florida. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Citrus County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 14 homes in Citrus County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Citrus County had?
NOAA records list 51 tornadoes in Citrus County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 9, 1983. The weather service has also logged 78 hail reports and 24 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Citrus County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 23 hurricanes and 45 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Citrus County, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with winds near 125 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.