Natural hazards · Alma

Alma, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1987. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Alma?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alma to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Alma faces

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

Inland flooding

89% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 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 Alma flood?

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

2paid claims since 1987

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19872026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Allegany County.

Disasters that hit Alma

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AlmaDeclared for Allegany County only

2021

Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred

$262K to the Town of Alma for repairs

Allegany County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Alma

Alma and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Willingmostly inland floodingVery high

Sciomostly inland floodingVery high

Almamostly inland floodingVery high

Wellsvillemostly inland floodingVery high

Bolivarmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Alma covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Alma. 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 Alma total about $2.2M 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.