TownTapestry
Sign inJoin
ElmaGood morning
Natural hazards · Elma

Elma, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Elma?

21
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elma to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding69%Cold waves20%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Elma faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Elma flood?

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

14paid claims since 1979
$49Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 1 claim, $5K

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. Elma isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Erie County.
Disasters that hit Elma

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElmaDeclared for Erie County only
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$28K to the Town of Elma for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$238K to the Town of Elma for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

207 households applied for aid $93K aid approved $214K to the Town of Elma for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Town of Elma for repairs
2001

Severe Winter Storm

$16K to the Town of Elma for repairs
2000

Snow

$5K to the Town of Elma for repairs
1999

Snow

$5K to the Town of Elma for repairs
Erie County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.
Around Elma

Elma and the towns around it

Aurora: Low, mostly inland floodingMarilla: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLancaster: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Seneca: High, mostly inland floodingWales: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOrchard Park: Low, mostly inland floodingColden: High, mostly inland floodingAlden: Very low, mostly inland floodingBennington: Low, mostly inland floodingCheektowaga: Low, mostly inland floodingClarence: Low, mostly inland floodingBuffalo: High, mostly inland floodingLackawanna: High, mostly inland floodingElma: Low, mostly inland flooding ElmaAuroraMarillaLancasterWest Seneca
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
West Senecamostly inland floodingHigh
Marillamostly inland floodingModerate
Auroramostly inland floodingLow
Elmamostly inland floodingLow
Lancastermostly 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. Elma covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Elma. 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 Elma total about $3.5M 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.

The coffee’s on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Elma, NYErie CountyView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map

Local begins with a boundary.

See what belongs to your selected town.

Loading boundary…

Elma is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
Open detailed map