Natural hazards · Bernardsville

Bernardsville, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bernardsville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bernardsville?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bernardsville to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Everything else23%

By hazard

What Bernardsville faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Bernardsville flood?

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

23paid claims since 1978

$304Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 6 claims, $158K
Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $27K
Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Somerset County.

Disasters that hit Bernardsville

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BernardsvilleDeclared for Somerset County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

38 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $381K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$65K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$39K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

169 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $2.6M to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$73K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

25 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $42K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$47K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $14K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$16K to the Borough of Bernardsville for repairs

Somerset County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Bernardsville

Bernardsville and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Peapack and Gladstonemostly inland floodingHigh

Far Hillsmostly inland floodingHigh

Mendhammostly inland floodingModerate

Hardingmostly inland floodingModerate

Bernardsmostly inland floodingModerate

Bernardsvillemostly 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. Bernardsville covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bernardsville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Bernardsville. 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 Bernardsville total about $3.6M 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.