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–Not graded
Natural hazards in Melvin · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Melvin

Melvin isn’t graded for hazard risk: Melvin has 230 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

Flood claims
0
paid since 1978 · $0
Disasters paid out here
4
of 12 declared for Osceola County
By hazard

What Melvin faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

63%of expected building damage
Below average · lower than 60% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

23%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 3% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Strong wind

7%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 5% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Hail Winter storms top 1% Ice storms Earthquakes Wildfire Heat waves top 3% Lightning Cold waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts hail at 27% of Melvin’s expected losses. Hail does little damage to buildings (2.6%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Melvin flood? No paid flood claims on record

FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Melvin. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.

of all homes are insured
No community discount

Melvin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Osceola County.
Disasters

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Melvin

Disasters that paid out in Melvin itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Melvin), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2024Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes26 households applied for aid$117K aid approved
  2. 2013Severe Winter Storm$9K to the City of Melvin for repairs
  3. 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes46 households applied for aid$77K aid approved$3K to the City of Melvin for repairs
  4. 2007Snow$6K to the City of Melvin for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in MelvinOsceola County only

Osceola County has had 12 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.

Were you here?

Old photos of Melvin after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Melvin archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Melvin faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
High winds
  • Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
  • Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
  • Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Melvin

Is Melvin in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Osceola County, 0.4% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.

How much is flood insurance in Melvin?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Melvin’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Melvin?

By FEMA money that reached Melvin, Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes (2024): 26 households applied for aid, $117K approved.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Melvin.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Melvin’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.