Natural hazards · Berlin

Berlin, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Berlin comes from avalanches, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2017. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Berlin?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Avalanches69%Inland flooding15%Cold waves11%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Berlin faces

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

Avalanches

69% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Inland flooding

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Berlin flood?

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

2paid claims since 2017

$10Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Coos County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Berlin

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BerlinDeclared for Coos County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$107K to the City of Berlin for repairs

2017

Severe Storms and Flooding

$901K to the City of Berlin for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$2K to the City of Berlin for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$206K to the City of Berlin for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$750 to the City of Berlin for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$32K to the City of Berlin for repairs

2003

Snow

$22K to the City of Berlin for repairs

2001

Snow

$15K to the City of Berlin for repairs

Coos County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Berlin

Berlin and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gorhammostly avalanchesVery high

Milanmostly avalanchesVery high

Berlinmostly avalanchesHigh

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. Berlin covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Berlin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Berlin. 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 Berlin total about $13.2M 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.