Natural hazards · New Paltz

New Paltz, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in New Paltz comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1987. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is New Paltz?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in New Paltz to be higher than in 7% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes15%Hurricanes12%Earthquakes9%Strong wind7%Cold waves5%Everything else7%

By hazard

What New Paltz faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 New Paltz flood?

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

9paid claims since 1987

$1.0Mpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $690K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 2 claims, $274K
Torrential rain: 1 claim, $44K

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. New Paltz isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Ulster County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit New Paltz

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into New PaltzDeclared for Ulster County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$15K to the Village of New Paltz for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

3 households applied for aid

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

20 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

293 households applied for aid $828K aid approved $178K to the Village of New Paltz for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

26 households applied for aid $24K aid approved $28K to the Village of New Paltz for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $40K to the Village of New Paltz for repairs

2003

Snow

$6K to the Village of New Paltz for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$14K to the Village of New Paltz for repairs

Ulster County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms 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. New Paltz covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to New Paltz’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of New Paltz. 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 New Paltz total about $1.1M 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.

New Paltz, NY natural hazards

How exposed is New Paltz?

What New Paltz faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Earthquakes

Strong wind

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does New Paltz flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Hurricane Sandy

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

Hurricane Irene

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Snow

Snowstorms

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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