Natural hazards · Orwell

Orwell, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orwell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orwell?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orwell to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Orwell faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Orwell flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oswego County.

Disasters that hit Orwell

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrwellDeclared for Oswego County only

2007

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$13K to the Town of Orwell for repairs

2004

Snow

$5K to the Town of Orwell for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$10K to the Town of Orwell for repairs

Oswego County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Orwell

Orwell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Redfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Williamstownmostly inland floodingModerate

Albionmostly inland floodingLow

Orwellmostly inland floodingLow

Boylstonmostly inland floodingLow

Sandy Creekmostly inland floodingLow

Richlandmostly 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. Orwell covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orwell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Orwell. 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 Orwell total about $608K 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.