Natural hazards · German

German, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in German comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is German?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in German to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding82%Cold waves6%Tornadoes5%Everything else7%

By hazard

What German faces

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

Inland flooding

82% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 37 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 German flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in German.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chenango County.

Disasters that hit German

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GermanDeclared for Chenango County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$79K to the Town of German for repairs

2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

$119K to the Town of German for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$6K to the Town of German for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$27K to the Town of German for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$15K to the Town of German for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$19K to the Town of German for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$13K to the Town of German for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$27K to the Town of German for repairs

2003

Snow

$2K to the Town of German for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$5K to the Town of German for repairs

Chenango County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around German

German and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Smithvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Willetmostly inland floodingHigh

Germanmostly inland floodingModerate

Pitchermostly inland floodingModerate

McDonoughmostly inland floodingModerate

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. German is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to German’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of German. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.