Natural hazards · Nelson

Nelson, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nelson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2021. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nelson?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nelson to be higher than in 19% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Tornadoes7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Nelson faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 99 years in the area

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 Nelson flood?

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

1paid claims since 2021

$32Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20212026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Henri: 1 claim, $32K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Madison County.

Disasters that hit Nelson

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NelsonDeclared for Madison County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$61K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$17K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$29K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$12K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$4K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$12K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

Madison County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Nelson

Nelson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Georgetownmostly inland floodingModerate

Fennermostly inland floodingModerate

Eatonmostly inland floodingModerate

Cazenoviamostly inland floodingLow

Nelsonmostly 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. Nelson covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nelson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Nelson. 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 Nelson total about $503K 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.