Natural hazards · Lee

Lee, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1983. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lee?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lee to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Hurricanes6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Lee faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Lee flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Lee, from FEMA’s records.

10paid claims since 1983

$61Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

The “Halloween” storm: 1 claim, $9K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Berkshire County.

Disasters that hit Lee

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LeeDeclared for Berkshire County only

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$30K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

12 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $46K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$34K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $19K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$31K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2003

Snow

$26K to the Town of Lee for repairs

2001

Snow

$11K to the Town of Lee for repairs

Berkshire County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Lee

Lee and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Leemostly inland floodingHigh

Stockbridgemostly inland floodingHigh

Tyringhammostly inland floodingModerate

Washingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Becketmostly inland floodingModerate

Lenoxmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Lee covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

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

FEMA’s expected losses across Lee total about $2.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.