Natural hazards · North Salem

North Salem, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in North Salem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1980. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is North Salem?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in North Salem to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Hurricanes7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What North Salem 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 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 North Salem flood?

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

10paid claims since 1980

$71Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

April 2007 Nor'easter: 2 claims, $18K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $485
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $8K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Westchester County.

Disasters that hit North Salem

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into North SalemDeclared for Westchester County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$54K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

14 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$154K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

33 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $241K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

34 households applied for aid $82K aid approved $129K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

8 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $62K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$71K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

2003

Snow

$33K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$271K to the Town of North Salem for repairs

Westchester County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around North Salem

North Salem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ridgefieldmostly inland floodingLow

North Salemmostly inland floodingLow

Southeastmostly inland floodingVery low

Somersmostly inland floodingVery low

Lewisboromostly 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. North Salem covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to North Salem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of North Salem. 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 North Salem total about $1.8M 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.