Natural hazards · Belfast

Belfast, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Belfast comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Belfast?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Belfast to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Belfast faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% 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 Belfast flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Belfast.

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Belfast 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 Belfast

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BelfastDeclared for Allegany County only

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$29K to the Town of Belfast for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$105K to the Town of Belfast for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$40K to the Town of Belfast for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $221K to the Town of Belfast for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$11K to the Town of Belfast for repairs

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

Around Belfast

Belfast and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Friendshipmostly inland floodingVery high

Angelicamostly inland floodingVery high

Caneadeamostly inland floodingVery high

Belfastmostly inland floodingVery high

New Hudsonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Belfast covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Belfast’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Belfast. 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 Belfast total about $2.1M 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.