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Citrus County, Florida

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively High overall risk
21st of 67highest risk in Florida
$112Mexpected losses a year
39federal declarations
1 in 14homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

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

Hurricane

Very High
$82.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • 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.
$15.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneVery High98.8
$82M
Inland floodingModerate83.2
$15M
Coastal floodingHigh92.6
$5M
TornadoModerate89.0
$5M
LightningHigh95.5
$1M
WildfireModerate90.5
$1M
Cold waveLow59.5
$932K
Heat waveLow75.9
$815K
Strong windModerate70.3
$663K
EarthquakeVery Low38.6
$95K
HailVery Low9.0
$18K
DroughtVery Low18.6
$2K
LandslideVery Low33.0
$261
Winter weatherVery Low1.2
$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

Hurricane21
Severe Storm6
Tropical Storm6
Freezing3
Fire2
Tornado1

Most recent

Oct 9, 2026Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Oct 11, 2024Hurricane MiltonMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2024Hurricane MiltonEmergency
Sep 28, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm HeleneEmergency
Aug 10, 2024Hurricane DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 3, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyEmergency
Aug 31, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2023Tropical Storm IdaliaEmergency
Dec 13, 2022Hurricane NicoleMajor disaster
Show all 39
Nov 8, 2022Tropical Storm NicoleEmergency
Sep 29, 2022Hurricane IanMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2022Tropical Storm IanEmergency
Aug 16, 2021Tropical Storm FredEmergency
Jul 4, 2021Tropical Storm ElsaEmergency
Nov 11, 2020Hurricane EtaEmergency
Aug 30, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Oct 9, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 10, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Sep 28, 2016Hurricane HermineMajor disaster
Jul 3, 2012Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2008Tropical Storm FayEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 26, 2004Hurricane JeanneMajor disaster
Sep 16, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2004Hurricane FrancesMajor disaster
Aug 13, 2004Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disaster
Jul 29, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2001Severe FreezeMajor disaster
May 19, 2000Withlacoochee Fire ComplexFire management
Jun 18, 1998Extreme Fire HazardMajor disaster
Jan 6, 1998Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 15, 1996Tropical Storm JosephineMajor disaster
Mar 13, 1993Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, FreezingMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1990Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Jan 31, 1977Severe Winter WeatherMajor disaster
Nov 7, 1968Hurricane GladysMajor disaster

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.

51tornadoes
78hail reports, largest 2 inches
162damaging thunderstorm winds
24floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 9, 1983F3–2 / 3
Sep 3, 1998F2Crystal River2 / 0
Oct 12, 2023EF2Inglis0 / 0
Jun 25, 1988F2–0 / 0
Mar 12, 1993F1Crystal River3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 15, 2021FloodRed Level$10M
Mar 12, 1993TornadoCrystal River$5M
Apr 9, 1983Tornado–$3M
Jan 2, 1998FloodHolder$2M
Jun 20, 2003Flash FloodCrystal River$502K
Sep 3, 1998TornadoCrystal 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.

23hurricanes
4major hurricanes (Category 3+)
45tropical storms
2022most recent: Nicole

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 3, 125 mph59 mi
Sep 5, 1950EasyCategory 3, 120 mph49 mi
Oct 25, 1921UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph62 mi
Sep 4, 1935UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Oct 10, 1888UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph56 mi
Sep 10, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph45 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Nov 10, 2022NicoleTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 65 mph64 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 60 mph60 mi
Sep 11, 2017IrmaCategory 1, 75 mph51 mi
Jun 26, 2012DebbyTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Aug 22, 2008FayTropical storm, 60 mph65 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 ›
7%of homes have federal flood insurance (5,549 policies)
39.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$384 millionpaid on 7,076 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $172 million paid

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

$245,500median home value (Florida $359,000, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (Florida 1988, US 1980)
25%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
21.1%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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 countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Miami-Dade CountyVery HighInland flooding
Broward CountyHighInland flooding
Palm Beach CountyHighHurricane
Hillsborough CountyHighHurricane
Orange CountyHighInland flooding
Duval CountyHighInland flooding
Pinellas CountyHighHurricane
Lee CountyHighHurricane

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Marion CountyHigh36
Hernando CountyModerate38
Sumter CountyModerate32
Levy CountyLow43

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.