Natural hazards · Scotch Plains

Scotch Plains, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Scotch Plains comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 225 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 Scotch Plains?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Scotch Plains to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Scotch Plains faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 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 Scotch Plains flood?

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

225paid claims since 1978

$6.8Mpaid to owners

35homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 50 claims, $4.6M
Hurricane Floyd: 46 claims, $319K
Hurricane Irene: 35 claims, $588K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Union County.

Disasters that hit Scotch Plains

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Scotch PlainsDeclared for Union County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

533 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $216K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$92K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

613 households applied for aid $66K aid approved $1.5M to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$81K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

215 households applied for aid $373K aid approved $151K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$38K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $43K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

15 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $8K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$134K to the Township of Scotch Plains for repairs

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

Around Scotch Plains

Scotch Plains and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Plainfieldmostly inland floodingVery high

Fanwoodmostly inland floodingVery high

Scotch Plainsmostly inland floodingHigh

Watchungmostly inland floodingHigh

Berkeley Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate

Clarkmostly inland floodingModerate

Westfieldmostly 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. Scotch Plains covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Scotch Plains’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Scotch Plains. 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 Scotch Plains total about $13.8M 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.