Natural hazards · Brookhaven

Brookhaven, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brookhaven comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3,825 claims here since 1978. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brookhaven?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brookhaven to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding65%Hurricanes11%Earthquakes7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Brookhaven faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Brookhaven flood?

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

3,825paid claims since 1978

$127Mpaid to owners

432homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 1,704 claims, $91.3M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 234 claims, $4.8M
The “Halloween” storm: 231 claims, $3.1M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 8 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (75) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Suffolk County.

Disasters that hit Brookhaven

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrookhavenDeclared for Suffolk County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

$228K to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$73K to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

9 households applied for aid $1.9M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$8.0M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$94K to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$2.0M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

78 households applied for aid $186K aid approved $29.8M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

7 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $5.1M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$500K to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$491K to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Assoc W Td Ida & Nor'easter

$6.0M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$4.4M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

2003

Snow

$1.1M to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$96K to the Town of Brookhaven for repairs

Suffolk County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Brookhaven

Brookhaven and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Hampton Dunesmostly inland floodingModerate

Brookhavenmostly inland floodingLow

Southamptonmostly inland floodingLow

Lake Grovemostly inland floodingVery low

Islipmostly inland floodingVery low

Riverheadmostly inland floodingVery low

Head of the Harbormostly inland floodingVery low

Smithtownmostly 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. Brookhaven covers 119 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brookhaven’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Brookhaven. 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 Brookhaven total about $95.7M 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.