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 1999. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chatham?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chatham to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding82%Cold waves6%Everything else13%

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

82% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% 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 1999

$62Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 3 claims, $17K
Hurricane Floyd: 3 claims, $13K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $2K

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

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChathamDeclared for Morris County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

75 households applied for aid $119K aid approved $12K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$76K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$133K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$162K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$54K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

125 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $290K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$66K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

146 households applied for aid $331K aid approved $79K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $10K to the Borough of Chatham for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$7K to the Borough 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

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Chathammostly inland floodingHigh

Millburnmostly inland floodingModerate

Summitmostly inland floodingModerate

Florham Parkmostly 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 Borough 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 $4.8M 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.