Natural hazards · Norfolk

Norfolk, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Norfolk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Norfolk?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Norfolk to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding69%Cold waves16%Earthquakes9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Norfolk faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Norfolk flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Lawrence County.

Disasters that hit Norfolk

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorfolkDeclared for St. Lawrence County only

1999

Snow

$3K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

St. Lawrence County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Norfolk

Norfolk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Norfolkmostly inland floodingModerate

Stockholmmostly inland floodingModerate

Brashermostly inland floodingModerate

Louisvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Massenamostly inland floodingModerate

Madridmostly inland floodingLow

Potsdammostly inland floodingLow

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. Norfolk covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Norfolk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Norfolk. 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 Norfolk total about $1.4M 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.