State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Natural Disasters in Delaware
Delaware faces a low level of natural disaster risk, with 3 FEMA disaster declarations on record. The dominant threat is hurricane, and severe weather has caused $4.5M in combined property and crop damage. NOAA storm event data shows 1,684 recorded weather events resulting in 5 fatalities, figures the state uses to prioritize disaster-preparedness planning.
- 3
- FEMA declarations
- 1,684
- NOAA storm events
- 5
- Storm fatalities
- $4.5M
- Property + crop damage
The Delaware risk picture
1 of Delaware's 3 counties, 33%, carry a FEMA "high-risk" National Risk Index rating, with hurricane the single largest driver of expected annual loss statewide. Delaware has 3 FEMA disaster declarations that reached full Major Disaster status, triggering federal individual and public assistance, and its NOAA-tracked storms have caused 146 injuries statewide.
- 33%
- of counties rated high-risk by FEMA National Risk Index
- 3
- FEMA disaster declarations on record
- $4.5M
- in tracked property + crop damage
FEMA's National Risk Index and NOAA's Storm Events Database measure different things: modeled long-run risk vs. observed severe-weather events. See the methodology for how they relate.
How does Delaware compare?
Delaware vs. every U.S. state
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
3 9th percentile higher than 9% of 56 states and territories
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states and territories. 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 · 2026-07-25
How disaster-prone is Delaware?
FEMA disaster declarations
Delaware (DE) sits at a low level of federally recognized natural-disaster risk, with 3 FEMA disaster declarations on record, including 3 Major Disaster declarations (DR) that triggered full federal individual and public assistance. The dominant declaration type is Hurricane, followed by Winter Storm (1). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
NOAA storm events & FEMA National Risk Index
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, Delaware recorded 1,684 individual storm events, causing 5 fatalities and 146 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $4.5M. The most frequent event types in the state are Thunderstorm Wind (561 events), Heavy Rain (230 events), Winter Weather (160 events). Across the state's 3 analyzed counties, FEMA's own National Risk Index flags 1 as high-risk, with an average county Risk Index score (FEMA's own formula, distinct from our Risk Score tool below) of 91.3/100.
Flood exposure & where to dig deeper
NFIP claims data is limited or absent for this state in the current extract, which usually indicates low flood-policy penetration rather than zero flood risk. The highest-Expected-Annual-Loss hazard across the state is Hurricane, estimated at $0.1B annually. Drill into individual counties for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
Disaster Types in Delaware
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for Delaware (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 561 | 2 | 13 | $226.0K |
| Heavy Rain | 230 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Winter Weather | 160 | 1 | 50 | $0 |
| Flash Flood | 118 | 0 | 0 | $3.8M |
| Coastal Flood | 117 | 0 | 0 | $12.0K |
| Dense Fog | 68 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| High Wind | 62 | 0 | 1 | $110.0K |
| Flood | 59 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Hail | 57 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Winter Storm | 50 | 0 | 30 | $0 |
| Strong Wind | 36 | 0 | 2 | $53.5K |
| Excessive Heat | 33 | 0 | 24 | $0 |
| Lightning | 31 | 0 | 3 | $77.0K |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 25 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tornado | 20 | 1 | 1 | $200.0K |
| Astronomical Low Tide | 17 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Rip Current | 12 | 1 | 9 | $0 |
| Funnel Cloud | 6 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tropical Storm | 6 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Heavy Snow | 6 | 0 | 12 | $0 |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 212 | 2 | 4 | $246.0K |
| 2024 | 83 | 0 | 3 | $50.0K |
| 2023 | 109 | 2 | 0 | $30.0K |
| 2022 | 206 | 0 | 2 | $2.0K |
| 2021 | 97 | 0 | 2 | $3.6M |
| 2020 | 184 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2019 | 136 | 0 | 4 | $0 |
| 2018 | 62 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2017 | 152 | 0 | 12 | $60 |
| 2016 | 277 | 1 | 30 | $35.0K |
| 2015 | 166 | 0 | 89 | $545.5K |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
3 unique disaster declarations in Delaware.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4916 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Winter Storm | 2026-05-29 |
| 4627 | REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IDA | DR | Hurricane | 2021-10-24 |
| 4566 | TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS | DR | Hurricane | 2020-10-02 |
FEMA National Risk Index
Composite natural hazard risk scores for Delaware counties based on FEMA's National Risk Index.
Avg County Risk Score
91.3/100
High Risk Counties
1
of 3 counties
Top Hazard by EAL
Hurricane
$0.1B annual loss est.
Top 5 Hazards by Expected Annual Loss
#1
Hurricane
$51.8M EAL
#2
Cold Wave
$37.6M EAL
#3
Coastal Flooding
$19.0M EAL
#4
Earthquake
$12.6M EAL
#5
Heat Wave
$12.0M EAL
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) EAL = Expected Annual Loss. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
Counties in Delaware
3 counties with FEMA disaster data.
| # | County | Disasters | Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kent | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | New Castle | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Sussex | 1 | 1 |
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
Essential steps to prepare your household for the most common natural hazards.
Hazard Risk by Region
How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.
Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect Delaware?
How many FEMA disaster declarations has Delaware had?
What severe weather events are most common in Delaware?
What is the disaster risk level for Delaware?
Which counties in Delaware have the most disaster declarations?
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for Delaware
Kent alone accounts for 67% of Delaware's FEMA disaster declarations, out of 3 counties tracked statewide.
- Risk is uneven within the state - Kent and New Castle carry the most declarations. Check the county where you live. Browse counties
- See how Delaware ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, PlainHazard tracks 2,791 U.S. counties in FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries dataset, refreshed as of 2026-07-25. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.