Photo: Nyttend · Public domainStorms, floods and disasters in Rayland
Rayland isn’t graded for hazard risk: Rayland has 507 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1996.
What Rayland 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
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.
Does Rayland flood? Sometimes: 12 flood claims since 1996
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Rayland, from FEMA’s records.
- Tropical Storm Ivan5 claims · $110K
Rayland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Jefferson County.6 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Rayland
Disasters that paid out in Rayland itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Village of Rayland), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides$172K to the Village of Rayland for repairs
- 2018Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides$9K to the Village of Rayland for repairs
- 2004Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides13 households applied for aid$18K aid approved
- 2004Severe Storms and Flooding167 households applied for aid$524K aid approved$15K to the Village of Rayland for repairs
- 2004Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides7 households applied for aid$6K aid approved
- 2003Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds3 households applied for aid$6K aid approved
Jefferson County has had 19 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Rayland after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Rayland archive →Rayland and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Township | Dmore damage than 90% | river and rain flooding | 31 |
| Tiltonsville | Dmore damage than 94% | river and rain flooding | 1 |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Rayland faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- 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.
- 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.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Rayland
Does Rayland flood?
Flood insurance has paid 12 claims in Rayland since 1996, $169K in all. 2 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Ivan (5).
Is Rayland 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 Jefferson County, 10% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.5% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Rayland?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Rayland’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 Rayland?
By FEMA money that reached Rayland, Severe Storms and Flooding (2004): 167 households applied for aid, $524K approved, and $15K to the Village of Rayland for repairs. By flood claims, Tropical Storm Ivan: 5 paid, $110K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Rayland.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Rayland’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.