Natural hazards · Elmsford

Elmsford, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elmsford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 253 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elmsford?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding64%Hurricanes9%Cold waves7%Earthquakes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Elmsford faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Elmsford flood?

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

253paid claims since 1978

$6.8Mpaid to owners

20homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 33 claims, $412K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 17 claims, $696K
Hurricane Irene: 13 claims, $702K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Westchester County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Elmsford

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElmsfordDeclared for Westchester County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$15K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

131 households applied for aid $401K aid approved $59K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$165K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

43 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $131K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

89 households applied for aid $172K aid approved $194K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

32 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $66K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

2003

Snow

$13K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$48K to the Village of Elmsford for repairs

Westchester County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Elmsford covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elmsford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Elmsford. 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 Elmsford total about $705K 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.