Natural hazards · Carmel

Carmel, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carmel comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 77 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Carmel?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carmel to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Hurricanes8%Strong wind7%Cold waves6%Earthquakes5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Carmel faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningAvalanches

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 Carmel flood?

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

77paid claims since 1978

$512Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 13 claims, $22K
Hurricane Floyd: 5 claims, $19K
Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $15K

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. Carmel isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Putnam County.

Disasters that hit Carmel

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarmelDeclared for Putnam County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$3.1M to the Town of Carmel for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

$20K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$564K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

87 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $424K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

120 households applied for aid $255K aid approved $169K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$52K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

2003

Snow

$92K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$511K to the Town of Carmel for repairs

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

Around Carmel

Carmel and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Putnam Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Southeastmostly inland floodingVery low

Somersmostly inland floodingVery low

Carmelmostly inland floodingVery low

Kentmostly 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. Carmel covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Carmel’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Carmel. 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 Carmel total about $5.7M 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.