Natural hazards · Monroe

Monroe, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Monroe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 52 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Monroe?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Monroe to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding55%Hurricanes12%Cold waves11%Tornadoes6%Strong wind6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Monroe 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

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Monroe flood?

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

52paid claims since 1978

$428Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 12 claims, $15K
Hurricane Floyd: 7 claims, $49K
Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $257K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Monroe

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MonroeDeclared for Orange County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$185K to the Town of Monroe for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$428K to the Town of Monroe for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$4K to the Town of Monroe for repairs

2003

Snow

$26K to the Town of Monroe for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$29K to the Town of Monroe for repairs

Orange County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Monroe

Monroe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tuxedomostly inland floodingModerate

Blooming Grovemostly inland floodingLow

South Blooming Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Chestermostly inland floodingLow

Kiryas Joelmostly inland floodingVery low

Palm Treemostly inland floodingVery low

Monroemostly inland floodingVery low

Woodburymostly 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. Monroe covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Monroe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Monroe. 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 Monroe total about $5.1M 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.