St. Johns County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
St. Johns County, Florida has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 88% of US counties. It ranks 36th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $97 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $355 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance (22,491 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $252 million on 7,639 claims here, including $148 million for floods in 2016.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in St. Johns County
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 89.4 | $51M | ||
| Hurricane | 93.7 | $23M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 89.0 | $8M | ||
| Tornado | 85.4 | $8M | ||
| Heat wave | 82.2 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 92.2 | $2M | ||
| Wildfire | 89.4 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 39.2 | $574K | ||
| Earthquake | 56.6 | $552K | ||
| Cold wave | 18.7 | $288K | ||
| Drought | 34.1 | $53K | ||
| Hail | 7.5 | $30K | ||
| Landslide | 19.5 | $156 |
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 low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included St. Johns County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 32
Florida also had 39 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 753 storm reports in St. Johns County since 1950, with 16 deaths and 34 injuries and about $45.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 15, 1958.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 1958 | F3 | – | 9 / 0 |
| Feb 7, 1971 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 24, 1995 | F2 | Palatka | 5 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1973 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 18, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2013 | Flood | Palm Vly | $38M |
| Apr 24, 1995 | Tornado | Palatka | $1M |
| Mar 18, 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | St Augustine Beach | $1M |
| Sep 14, 2001 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $900K |
| Jun 26, 2004 | Lightning | Ponte Vedra | $750K |
| May 4, 2013 | Tornado | Elkton | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 2026. 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 1853, 23 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of St. Johns County, 26 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with top winds near 130 mph about 65 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 1898 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 8, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 12, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Matthew | Category 3, 115 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 27, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Dora | Category 2, 110 mph | 6 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12, 2020 | Eta | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Matthew | Category 3, 115 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 13, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| May 27, 2012 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 21, 2008 | Fay | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 47 mi |
| Oct 5, 2005 | Tammy | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 40 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 St. Johns 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 St. Johns 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; 133,504 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Duval County | 39 | |
| Clay County | 37 | |
| Flagler County | 36 | |
| Putnam County | 39 |
Cities in St. Johns County
Common questions about St. Johns County
What is the biggest natural hazard in St. Johns County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in St. Johns County, about $51.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $22.5 million.
How many federal disasters has St. Johns County had?
St. Johns County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Is St. Johns County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 36th 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 St. Johns County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 4 homes in St. Johns 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 St. Johns County had?
NOAA records list 66 tornadoes in St. Johns County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 15, 1958. The weather service has also logged 121 hail reports and 53 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit St. Johns County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 23 hurricanes and 46 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of St. Johns County, including 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1898, with winds near 130 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.