Storms, floods and disasters in Almedia
Almedia isn’t graded for hazard risk: Almedia is a Census area inside a town, graded with the town. Flood insurance has paid 208 claims here since 1978.
What Almedia 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 Almedia flood? Yes: 208 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Almedia, from FEMA’s records.
- Tropical Storm Lee92 claims · $6.4M
- Tropical Storm Ivan14 claims · $158K
Almedia isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Columbia County.The storms Almedia remembers
None of the 16 disasters declared for Columbia County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Almedia itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 201193 flood claims paidThe year of Tropical Storm Lee, declared for Columbia County
- 200636 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides, declared for Columbia County
- 199622 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storms and Flooding, declared for Columbia County
Columbia County has had 16 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 Almedia after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Almedia archive →Almedia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Township | Cmore damage than 66% | river and rain flooding | — |
| South Centre Township | Cmore damage than 74% | river and rain flooding | 11 |
| Main Township | Dmore damage than 86% | river and rain flooding | 14 |
| Lime Ridge | — | 842 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Espy | — | a Census area inside a town; graded with the town | |
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 Almedia 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 Almedia
Does Almedia flood?
Flood insurance has paid 208 claims in Almedia since 1978, $7.6M in all. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Lee (92).
Is Almedia 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 Columbia County, 23% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.9% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Almedia?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Almedia’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 Almedia?
By flood claims, Tropical Storm Lee: 92 paid, $6.4M.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Almedia.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Almedia’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.