Natural hazards · Rye

Rye, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rye comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,566 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rye?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rye to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Rye faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Rye flood?

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

1,566paid claims since 1978

$59.9Mpaid to owners

237homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 229 claims, $21.9M
Not a named storm: 211 claims, $793K
Hurricane Irene: 197 claims, $8.0M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (103) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Rye 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 Rye

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RyeDeclared for Westchester County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$243K to the City of Rye for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

626 households applied for aid $2.7M aid approved $2.2M to the City of Rye for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$523K to the City of Rye for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

197 households applied for aid $204K aid approved $1.7M to the City of Rye for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

204 households applied for aid $365K aid approved $279K to the City of Rye for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$176K to the City of Rye for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

208 households applied for aid $462K aid approved $1.5M to the City of Rye for repairs

2003

Snow

$39K to the City of Rye for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$29K to the City of Rye for repairs

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

Around Rye

Rye and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Port Chestermostly inland floodingHigh

Greenwichmostly inland floodingHigh

Ryemostly inland floodingModerate

Mamaroneckmostly inland floodingModerate

Ryemostly inland floodingModerate

Mamaroneckmostly inland floodingModerate

Rye Brookmostly inland floodingLow

Oyster Baymostly inland floodingVery low

Harrisonmostly 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. Rye covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rye’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Rye. 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 Rye total about $7.0M 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.