Natural hazards · Buffalo

Buffalo, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Buffalo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Buffalo?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Buffalo to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Cold waves12%Tornadoes8%Everything else11%

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

70% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 20 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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: White County.

Disasters that hit Buffalo

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BuffaloDeclared for White County only

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $91K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

43 households applied for aid $234K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

White County has had 16 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 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.

Buffalo, IN natural hazards

How exposed is Buffalo?

What Buffalo faces

Inland flooding

Cold waves

Tornadoes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Buffalo flood?

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby