Natural hazards · Buffalo

Buffalo, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Buffalo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Buffalo?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Buffalo to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes15%Drought14%Earthquakes12%Cold waves10%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Buffalo faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Drought

14% of expected damage

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Buffalo flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Buffalo.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Buffalo isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Sangamon County.

Disasters that hit Buffalo

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Buffalo itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Buffalo.

Brought FEMA money into BuffaloDeclared for Sangamon County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Village of Buffalo for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$2K to the Village of Buffalo for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm

$20K to the Village of Buffalo for repairs

2006

Tornadoes and Severe Storms

4 households applied for aid $769 aid approved

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$2K to the Village of Buffalo for repairs

Sangamon County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Buffalo is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Buffalo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Buffalo. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.