Natural hazards · West Tisbury

West Tisbury, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Tisbury comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1991. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Tisbury?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Tisbury to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding60%Hurricanes33%Everything else7%

By hazard

What West Tisbury faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 West Tisbury flood?

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

4paid claims since 1991

$26Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19912026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Bob: 2 claims, $6K
The “Halloween” storm: 1 claim, $10K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dukes County.

Disasters that hit West Tisbury

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West TisburyDeclared for Dukes County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$20K to the Town of West Tisbury for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$1K to the Town of West Tisbury for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$18K to the Town of West Tisbury for repairs

2003

Snow

$10K to the Town of West Tisbury for repairs

Dukes County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around West Tisbury

West Tisbury and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Tisburymostly inland floodingLow

Chilmarkmostly inland floodingLow

Edgartownmostly inland floodingLow

Gosnoldmostly inland floodingLow

Tisburymostly inland floodingLow

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. West Tisbury covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Tisbury’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of West Tisbury. 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 West Tisbury total about $1.8M 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.