Natural hazards · Seneca

Seneca, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Seneca comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Seneca?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Seneca to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding65%Drought18%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Seneca faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

18% of expected damage

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Seneca flood?

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

3paid claims since 1978

$5Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ontario County.

Disasters that hit Seneca

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SenecaDeclared for Ontario County only

2011

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

$42K to the Town of Seneca for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$35K to the Town of Seneca for repairs

1999

Snow

$10K to the Town of Seneca for repairs

Ontario County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Seneca

Seneca and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bentonmostly inland floodingModerate

Gorhammostly inland floodingLow

Genevamostly inland floodingLow

Senecamostly inland floodingVery low

Phelpsmostly inland floodingVery low

Hopewellmostly 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. Seneca covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Seneca’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Seneca. 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 Seneca total about $849K 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.