Natural hazards · Howell

Howell, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Howell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 30 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Howell?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Howell to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding34%Strong wind33%Heat waves13%Hurricanes7%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Howell faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

33% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Howell flood?

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

30paid claims since 1978

$534Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 5 claims, $67K
Not a named storm: 3 claims, $3K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $17K

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. Howell isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Monmouth County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Howell

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HowellDeclared for Monmouth County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$621K to the Township of Howell for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$301K to the Township of Howell for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

754 households applied for aid $83K aid approved $3.1M to the Township of Howell for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

223 households applied for aid $457K aid approved $266K to the Township of Howell for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$222K to the Township of Howell for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

121 households applied for aid $218K aid approved $142K to the Township of Howell for repairs

Monmouth County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Howell

Howell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Colts Neckmostly inland floodingHigh

Freeholdmostly inland floodingModerate

Brickmostly inland floodingModerate

Howellmostly inland floodingModerate

Jacksonmostly inland floodingModerate

Wallmostly strong windsModerate

Lakewoodmostly 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. Howell covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Howell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Howell. 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 Howell total about $19.8M 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.