FEMA Records
22
Above median
Maryland · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Baltimore (city), MD
22 FEMA disaster declarations (1971-2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively High. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 22
- FEMA declarations
- 15
- Major disasters
- 95
- NRI risk · Relatively High
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Baltimore (city). Its 22 FEMA declarations are 12% above the Maryland county mean and exceed the count for 57% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 5%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 5%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively High
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 22
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 1,063
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 24510 · Baltimore (city) 22 declarations · rank 1323/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-HIGH · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-HEAVY 22
- MAJOR-MID 68%
- RANK-LOWER #1,323
- PHOTO-FINISH Hardy
- NRI-HIGH 95
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Hurricane
- VS-ST-ABOVE +12%
Nearest declaration peer: Hardy, WV (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Maryland state profile
Baltimore (city) in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among Baltimore (city) and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Baltimore (city) · this county 22
Baltimore (city) · this county
22 declarations
- Hardy · near 22
Hardy · near
22 declarations
- Prairie · near 22
Prairie · near
22 declarations
- St. Francis · near 22
St. Francis · near
22 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Baltimore (city) carries 22 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1323 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How Baltimore (city)'s FEMA declaration count compares nationally
Baltimore (city) vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Baltimore (city)
22 Top 43% higher than 57% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Baltimore (city)'s FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Baltimore (city) is led by Riverine Flooding (about $52.4M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Heat Wave carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Baltimore (city)'s hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 1,063 claims and $26.7M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $25.2K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Baltimore (city)'s 22 federal records stand 12% above the Maryland county mean of 19.6. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 95.0/100 (Relatively High). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $136.3M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively High and community resilience Relatively High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Heat Wave stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at 6.8 modeled event-days per year here, based on 100 historical events on record.
62 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Baltimore (city), MD · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
16/30
22 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.1x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
14/25
22 declarations (1.1x state county average of 20)
Major Disaster Share High
17/25
15 of 22 declarations are major disasters (68%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Baltimore (city)
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Baltimore (city)
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
68%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
95
Relatively High
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Baltimore (city)?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 6.8 modeled event-days per year |
| Winter Weather | Very High | an average of 11 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | an average of 1.5 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | an average of 8.1 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | roughly once every 14 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | an average of 1.9 times per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 926 years |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 10 years |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 39 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.6 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.7 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 25 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 100,112 years |
| Drought | No Rating | 6.1 modeled event-days per year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Snowstorm 6
Hurricane 6
Severe Storm 4
Flood 3
Biological 2
Winter Storm 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Baltimore (city)'s federal record, 27% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 15 68.2%
of all 22 declarations
Emergency - 7 31.8%
of all 22 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 2 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
Show 2 earlier declaration years
| 1972 | 1 | |
| 1971 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 22 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 22 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3634 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2026-01-24 |
| 4491 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-26 |
| 3430 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4261 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Snowstorm | 2016-03-04 |
| 4091 | HURRICANE SANDY | DR | Hurricane | 2012-11-20 |
| 3349 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-28 |
| 4075 | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2012-08-02 |
| 4034 | HURRICANE IRENE | DR | Hurricane | 2011-09-16 |
| 3335 | HURRICANE IRENE | EM | Hurricane | 2011-08-27 |
| 1910 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORMS | DR | Snowstorm | 2010-05-06 |
| 1875 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Snowstorm | 2010-02-19 |
| 3251 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 1492 | HURRICANE ISABEL | DR | Hurricane | 2003-09-19 |
| 3179 | SNOW | EM | Severe Storm | 2003-03-14 |
| 1324 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2000-04-10 |
| 1081 | BLIZZARD OF 96 (SEVERE SNOW STORM) | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-11 |
| 3100 | SEVERE SNOWFALL & WINTER STORM | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-16 |
| 601 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1979-09-14 |
| 524 | ICE CONDITIONS | DR | Snowstorm | 1977-01-26 |
| 489 | HEAVY RAINS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1975-10-04 |
Show 2 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 341 | TROPICAL STORM AGNES | DR | Flood | 1972-06-23 |
| 309 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1971-08-17 |
Storm Events in Maryland
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Baltimore (city).
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 3,959 | 6 | 43 | $102.0M |
| Winter Weather | 1,341 | 4 | 26 | $95.0K |
| Flood | 1,089 | 1 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Flash Flood | 790 | 9 | 4 | $96.3M |
| Dense Fog | 513 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
1,063
Total Paid
$26.7M
Avg Per Claim
$25.2K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively High
Score: 95.0/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$136.3M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Heat Wave Relatively High
Winter Weather Very High
Cold Wave Relatively High
Strong Wind Relatively High
Tornado Relatively High
Riverine Flooding Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively Moderate
Hurricane Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Hail Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Coastal Flooding Relatively Moderate
Landslide Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Heat Wave
Heat Wave is measured in event-days per year rather than discrete events, and it is the hazard whose harm is most consistently undercounted: its toll is health and mortality, concentrated among people without cooling, rather than visible damage to property.
Worth noting for Baltimore (city): the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Heat Wave carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively High), while the county's declaration history is led by Hurricane. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Baltimore (city)'s closest FEMA peer: Christian County, MO
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Baltimore (city). Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Baltimore (city) shows 22 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Baltimore (city): 15 of 22 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Baltimore (city): NRI composite 95.0 (Relatively High).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Baltimore (city) - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Baltimore (city): nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 95.0 (Relatively High).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 22. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Baltimore (city)'s NFIP claims file (1,063 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Baltimore (city)?
The most common disaster type in Baltimore (city) is Hurricane, with 6 declarations. Other disaster types include Snowstorm (6), Severe Storm (4), Flood (3).
How does Baltimore (city)'s FEMA declaration record compare with the Maryland average?
FEMA lists 22 declaration records for Baltimore (city). That is 12% above the Maryland county mean of 19.6. Its count is also 6% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Baltimore (city) received?
Baltimore (city) has received 15 major disaster declarations, representing 68% of all 22 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Baltimore (city) filed?
Baltimore (city) has 1,063 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $26.7M in payments, with an average of $25.2K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Baltimore (city)?
No. In Baltimore (city), Heat Wave has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $52.4M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Baltimore (city)?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Baltimore (city) was 2003, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1971 to 2026.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Baltimore (city)?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Baltimore (city), Maryland has an overall risk score of 95.0 out of 100 (Relatively High). On social vulnerability the county rates Relatively High; on community resilience, Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $136.3M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Baltimore (city)?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Baltimore (city) as of the latest release is Heat Wave (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Winter Weather (Very High) and Cold Wave (Relatively High). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts heat wave here at 6.8 modeled event-days per year, drawn from 100 historical events on record. The underlying methodology weighs historical event frequency against exposed assets and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Baltimore (city) · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Maryland profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events