Natural hazards · Porter

Porter, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Porter comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Porter?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Porter to be higher than in 9% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Porter faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Porter flood?

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

1paid claims since 1978

$544paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Niagara County.

Disasters that hit Porter

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PorterDeclared for Niagara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$30K to the Town of Porter for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$18K to the Town of Porter for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Porter for repairs

1999

Snow

$7K to the Town of Porter for repairs

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

Around Porter

Porter and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Youngstownmostly inland floodingLow

Portermostly inland floodingVery low

Lewistonmostly inland floodingVery low

Wilsonmostly 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. Porter covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Porter’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Porter. 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 Porter total about $1.0M 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.