Natural hazards · Berlin

Berlin, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Berlin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Berlin?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Berlin to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Tornadoes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Berlin faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 68 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Berlin flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Rensselaer County.

Disasters that hit Berlin

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BerlinDeclared for Rensselaer County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$18K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

8 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $262K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$21K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$60K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $390 aid approved $37K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$21K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$39K to the Town of Berlin for repairs

Rensselaer County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Berlin

Berlin and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Petersburghmostly inland floodingVery high

Berlinmostly inland floodingHigh

Stephentownmostly inland floodingHigh

Poestenkillmostly inland floodingModerate

Sand Lakemostly inland floodingLow

Graftonmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Berlin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Berlin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Berlin. 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 Berlin total about $1.0M 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.