Natural hazards · Shawangunk

Shawangunk, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Shawangunk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2003. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Shawangunk?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Shawangunk to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes10%Hurricanes9%Cold waves7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Shawangunk faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Shawangunk flood?

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

5paid claims since 2003

$43Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 1 claim, $1K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $5K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $3K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ulster County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Shawangunk

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ShawangunkDeclared for Ulster County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$45K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$91K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$111K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$138K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

2003

Snow

$19K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$57K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$50K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$16K to the Town of Shawangunk for repairs

Ulster County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Shawangunk

Shawangunk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wawarsingmostly inland floodingHigh

Ellenvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Gardinermostly inland floodingModerate

Mamakatingmostly inland floodingModerate

Montgomerymostly inland floodingLow

Shawangunkmostly inland floodingLow

Newburghmostly inland floodingLow

Crawfordmostly inland floodingLow

Plattekillmostly 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. Shawangunk covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Shawangunk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Shawangunk. 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 Shawangunk total about $4.7M 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.