Natural hazards · Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chestnut Ridge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1999. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chestnut Ridge?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chestnut Ridge to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding55%Cold waves10%Earthquakes7%Strong wind7%Hurricanes6%Tornadoes6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Chestnut Ridge faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Chestnut Ridge flood?

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

9paid claims since 1999

$184Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $7K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $53K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $7K

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

Insurance rates: Rockland County.

Disasters that hit Chestnut Ridge

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Chestnut Ridge itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Chestnut Ridge.

Brought FEMA money into Chestnut RidgeDeclared for Rockland County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

15 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Sandy

69 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

14 households applied for aid $53K aid approved $85K to the Village of Chestnut Ridge for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

17 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $15K to the Village of Chestnut Ridge for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$228K to the Village of Chestnut Ridge for repairs

Rockland County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Spring Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Ramapomostly inland floodingLow

Orangetownmostly inland floodingVery low

Clarkstownmostly inland floodingVery low

Chestnut Ridgemostly inland floodingVery low

Airmontmostly 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. Chestnut Ridge covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chestnut Ridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Chestnut Ridge. 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 Chestnut Ridge total about $1.6M 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.