Volusia County, Florida
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Volusia County, Florida has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 14th of 67 counties in Florida. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $196 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $355 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (27 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2024 (Hurricane Milton). About 1 in 9 homes here carry federal flood insurance (25,185 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $581 million on 12,577 claims here, including $270 million for floods in 2022.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Volusia 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.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 98.5 | $87M | ||
| Inland flooding | 95.2 | $67M | ||
| Tornado | 98.3 | $24M | ||
| Wildfire | 96.3 | $5M | ||
| Lightning | 99.3 | $5M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 85.0 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 85.5 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 87.8 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 62.1 | $1M | ||
| Earthquake | 68.4 | $634K | ||
| Hail | 39.2 | $150K | ||
| Drought | 32.4 | $28K | ||
| Landslide | 55.9 | $2K |
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 relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Volusia County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 42
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 629 storm reports in Volusia County since 1950, with 26 deaths and 153 injuries and about $932 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 23, 1998 near Osteen.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 1998 | F3 | Osteen | 0 / 1 |
| Feb 2, 2007 | EF3 | Beresford | 42 / 0 |
| Nov 2, 1997 | F3 | New Smyrna Beach | 32 / 0 |
| Feb 22, 1998 | F2 | Daytona Beach | 3 / 1 |
| Aug 18, 2020 | EF2 | Fatio | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2022 | Flood | West Holly Hill | $340M |
| Oct 9, 2024 | Flood | Oak Hill | $240M |
| Jul 1, 1998 | Wildfire | Countywide | $150M |
| May 19, 2009 | Flood | Deltona | $69M |
| Feb 2, 2007 | Tornado | Beresford | $52M |
| Nov 2, 1997 | Tornado | New Smyrna Beach | $14M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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 1852, 27 hurricanes and 43 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Volusia County, 32 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1854, with top winds near 125 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Matthew | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 27, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 12, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Dora | Category 2, 110 mph | 59 mi |
| Jul 28, 1926 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2024 | Milton | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 29, 2022 | Ian | Category 1, 75 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Matthew | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 13, 2016 | Julia | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 5 mi |
| Aug 21, 2008 | Fay | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 19 mi |
| Aug 31, 2006 | Ernesto | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 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 Volusia 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 Volusia 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; 282,109 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 37 | |
| Brevard County | 43 | |
| Seminole County | 37 | |
| Lake County | 35 | |
| Marion County | 36 | |
| Flagler County | 36 | |
| Putnam County | 39 |
Common questions about Volusia County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Volusia County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Volusia County, about $87 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $66.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Volusia County had?
Volusia County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 27 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Is Volusia County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 14th 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 Volusia County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 9 homes in Volusia 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 Volusia County had?
NOAA records list 106 tornadoes in Volusia County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 23, 1998 near Osteen. The weather service has also logged 189 hail reports and 26 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Volusia County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 27 hurricanes and 43 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Volusia County, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1854, 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.