Natural hazards · Morris

Morris, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Morris comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 58 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Morris?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Morris to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Cold waves8%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Morris faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% 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 windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Morris flood?

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

58paid claims since 1979

$1.4Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 22 claims, $528K
Hurricane Floyd: 6 claims, $100K
Not a named storm: 5 claims, $21K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Morris 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 Morris

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MorrisDeclared for Morris County only

2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$235K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$188K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$675K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$124K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1 household applied for aid $505K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$325K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$245K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$48K to the Township of Morris for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$25K to the Township of Morris for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$58K to the Township of Morris for repairs

Morris County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Morris

Morris and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Parsippany-Troy Hillsmostly inland floodingHigh

Denvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Hardingmostly inland floodingModerate

Morrismostly inland floodingLow

Hanovermostly inland floodingLow

Morris Plainsmostly 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. Morris covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Morris’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Morris. 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 Morris total about $8.7M 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.