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Natural hazards · Chatham

Chatham, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chatham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1982. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Chatham?

61
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chatham to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves6%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Chatham faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Chatham flood?

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

11paid claims since 1982
$90Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $29K
  • April 2007 Nor'easter: 2 claims, $39K
  • Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Chatham isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Morris County.
Disasters that hit Chatham

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChathamDeclared for Morris County only
2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$80K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$181K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$213K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$423K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$183K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$33K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$8K to the Township of Chatham for repairs
Morris County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Chatham

Chatham and the towns around it

New Providence: High, mostly inland floodingBerkeley Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMadison: Low, mostly inland floodingSummit: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChatham: High, mostly inland floodingHarding: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLong Hill: High, mostly inland floodingWatchung: High, mostly inland floodingScotch Plains: High, mostly inland floodingMountainside: Low, mostly inland floodingWarren: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFlorham Park: Low, mostly inland floodingMillburn: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSpringfield: High, mostly inland floodingBernards: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMorris: Low, mostly inland floodingBernardsville: Low, mostly inland floodingChatham: High, mostly inland flooding ChathamNew ProvidenceBerkeley HeightsMadisonSummitChathamHardingLong Hill
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
New Providencemostly inland floodingHigh
Long Hillmostly inland floodingHigh
Chathammostly inland floodingHigh
Chathammostly inland floodingHigh
Berkeley Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate
Hardingmostly inland floodingModerate
Summitmostly inland floodingModerate
Madisonmostly 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. Chatham covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chatham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Chatham. 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 Chatham total about $5.4M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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