Natural hazards · Butternuts

Butternuts, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Butternuts comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2006. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Butternuts?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Butternuts to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Cold waves12%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Butternuts 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 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Butternuts flood?

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

5paid claims since 2006

$38Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20062026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Otsego County.

Disasters that hit Butternuts

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ButternutsDeclared for Otsego County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$126K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$12K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$90K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$109K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$509K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$25K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$14K to the Town of Butternuts for repairs

Otsego County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Butternuts

Butternuts and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Otegomostly inland floodingVery high

Butternutsmostly inland floodingHigh

Norwichmostly inland floodingHigh

Guilfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Morrismostly inland floodingHigh

Unadillamostly inland floodingHigh

New Berlinmostly 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. Butternuts covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Butternuts’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Butternuts. 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 Butternuts 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.