Natural hazards · Cato

Cato, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cato comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cato?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cato to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Cato faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once 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 Cato flood?

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

31paid claims since 1978

$229Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cayuga County.

Disasters that hit Cato

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CatoDeclared for Cayuga County only

2004

Snow

$8K to the Town of Cato for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$9K to the Town of Cato for repairs

Cayuga County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Cato

Cato and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Conquestmostly inland floodingHigh

Catomostly inland floodingHigh

Lysandermostly inland floodingLow

Elbridgemostly inland floodingLow

Brutusmostly inland floodingLow

Iramostly 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. Cato covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cato’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Cato. 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 Cato total about $862K 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.