Natural hazards · Cortland

Cortland, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cortland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 116 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cortland?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cortland to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding83%Tornadoes5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Cortland faces

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

Inland flooding

83% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Cortland flood?

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

116paid claims since 1979

$715Kpaid to owners

21homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 44 claims, $261K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $504
Hurricane Gloria: 1 claim, $6K

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

Insurance rates: Cortland County.

Disasters that hit Cortland

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CortlandDeclared for Cortland County only

2024

Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$135K to the City of Cortland for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$27K to the City of Cortland for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$72K to the City of Cortland for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

248 households applied for aid $381K aid approved $178K to the City of Cortland for repairs

Cortland County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Cortland covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cortland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cortland. 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 Cortland total about $5.6M 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.