Hazard Plain
Automated baseline from FEMA and NOAA data, release 2026-10.

Sussex County, DE

Risk-assessment baseline packet. County FIPS 10005. Release 2026-10, data as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2028-01-02. Plan: Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411), approved 2023-01-03.

Update: FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress.

Since the plan was approved on 2023-01-03: 1 new hazard declaration (1 incident) and 90 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($42,608,060 a year), Hurricane ($35,311,960) and Cold Wave ($16,807,500).

The packet's tables are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); the summaries below follow the same order.

Download the packet

Full packet as a web page. File manifest (checksums, source versions).

Plan clock

Approved, expires 2028-01-02

Plan:
Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)
Approved:
2023-01-03
Days to expiry:
459
Update underway:
FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress

What changed since your last plan (approved 2023-01-03)

New federal declarations:
1 new hazard declaration (1 incident): DR-4916-DE (Severe Winter Storm)
Storm Events records since approval:
90 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 4, SRL 26 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 307
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

26 jurisdictions. Each row is that jurisdiction's own plan clock. Notes include other approved plans FEMA lists for the same jurisdiction.

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryUpdate underwayNotes
Sussex CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-04-25
Bethany Beach townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-02-17
Bethel townTownNo approved plan on recordnonenonenoneFEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Blades townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2025-01-13
Bridgeville townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Dagsboro townTownNo approved plan on recordnonenonenoneFEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Delmar townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2024-12-02
Dewey Beach townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-01-13
Ellendale townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-01-04
Fenwick Island townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-01-27
Frankford townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2024-12-02
Georgetown townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-02-13
Greenwood townTownNo approved plan on recordnonenonenoneFEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Henlopen Acres townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Laurel townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2024-11-18
Lewes cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-08-14
Milford cityCityExpired on 2026-04-19Kent County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 106435)2021-04-202026-04-19-164FEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Millsboro townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Millville townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-01-10
Milton townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-02-13
Ocean View townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress
Rehoboth Beach cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2024-11-15
Seaford cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-01-10
Selbyville townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2023-01-10
Slaughter Beach townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progressthis jurisdiction approved 2024-12-11
South Bethany townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-02Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108411)2023-01-032028-01-02459FEMA tracker shows a plan in progress

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

What the packet contains

Sections in FEMA checklist order; each heading names the review item its tables support. Full tables are in the downloads above.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a Hazard identification

16 of the 18 National Risk Index hazards apply here.

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

Highest expected annual loss (NRI, modeled): Inland Flooding, Hurricane and Cold Wave.

Not covered by NRI (local data needed): dam failure (incl. upstream dams); levee failure; flash flood as its own subtype; ice jams; debris flows; erosion (riverine and coastal); land subsidence and sinkholes; expansive soils.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b Hazard location

  • Coastal Flooding and Inland Flooding: the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.
  • Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather: affects the whole county; national data give no location within it.
  • Earthquake, Hurricane, Landslide, Tornado, Tsunami and Wildfire vary within the county; the packet lists the highest-rated census tracts for each.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c Hazard extent

Storm Events records for 15 of the 20 NOAA event-type groups mapped to the 18 hazards, with the scale, observed range and worst recorded event for each; the others say which local data are needed.

Worst recorded tornado, hail and thunderstorm wind (the three event types on record since the 1950s; the packet has every group):

  • Hail: 2.25 in hail, 2022-05-16
  • Thunderstorm Wind: 100 kt (115 mph), measurement type not recorded, Thunderstorm Wind, 1991-07-07, 2 direct injuries
  • Tornado: EF3 tornado, 2023-04-01, 14.3 mi within this county, 700 yd wide, $0 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars), 1 direct death

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d Previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this area: 20 declarations covering 15 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet; each with type, dates and county Public Assistance dollars.

New since the last plan (approved 2023-01-03): DR-4916-DE.

1 statewide declaration listed separately.

Hazards with no Storm Events record and no federal declaration are stated as such (4 of 18).

Storm Events history: 1,284 records (notable ones in the PDF, all of them in the Excel file).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e Probability of future events

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) for each hazard, with a descriptor from a scale defined in the packet.

  • Highly likely: Coastal Flooding, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather
  • Likely: Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Hurricane, Inland Flooding, Landslide, Tornado and Wildfire
  • Possible: Tsunami

Historical frequency by intensity band (tornado, hail, wind): 9 bands from Storm Events.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f Hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk scores within the area for 16 of the 18 hazards (74 tracts; rated tracts only).

26 jurisdictions: plan clock, repeat-flood count, Public Assistance dollars and event records naming the place (starting figures from federal data).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b Vulnerability and potential impacts

The packet's table gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

Storm Events damage since 2023-01-03: $40,000 in county-coded records (58 records); $0 reported for the zone (32 zone records). Data through 2026-06-30; nominal dollars.

Local data needed

To gather:

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a Vulnerability (county context)

Population 237,214; building value $74,497,727,033 and agriculture value $1,303,773,481 (total, not at risk).

National Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate; social vulnerability Relatively High; community resilience Relatively Moderate.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c Repetitive loss properties

Repetitive-loss properties, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2): 4 repetitive loss, 26 severe repetitive loss. NFIP insurance definition: 304 and 23.

Mitigated 2; insured 107; NFIP data as of 2026-08-02. Counts by occupancy group and for each jurisdiction are in the packet.

Releases

Each release is dated; this is release 2026-10. It was first published 2026-09-30; its files do not change. Later releases will be listed here with what changed between them. All releases.

Cite this

Hazard Plain (2026). Sussex County, DE: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 10005). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/de/10005/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Source citations for the plan's bibliography (8)

How this packet is built: methods and sources