Natural hazards · Rotterdam

Rotterdam, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rotterdam comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 39 claims here since 1986. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rotterdam?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rotterdam to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Tornadoes9%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Rotterdam faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Rotterdam flood?

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

39paid claims since 1986

$2.0Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 19 claims, $1.8M
Tropical Storm Lee: 2 claims, $5K
Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $14K

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

Insurance rates: Schenectady County.

Disasters that hit Rotterdam

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RotterdamDeclared for Schenectady County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$43K to the Town of Rotterdam for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

20 households applied for aid $31K aid approved $398K to the Town of Rotterdam for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$409K to the Town of Rotterdam for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$126K to the Town of Rotterdam for repairs

2003

Snow

$24K to the Town of Rotterdam for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$69K to the Town of Rotterdam for repairs

Schenectady County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Rotterdam

Rotterdam and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Schenectadymostly inland floodingModerate

Floridamostly inland floodingLow

Glenvillemostly inland floodingLow

Princetownmostly inland floodingLow

Rotterdammostly inland floodingLow

Guilderlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Coloniemostly 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. Rotterdam covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rotterdam’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Rotterdam. 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 Rotterdam total about $5.8M 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.