Natural hazards · Sullivan

Sullivan, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sullivan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 46 claims here since 1981. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sullivan?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sullivan to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Sullivan faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Sullivan flood?

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

46paid claims since 1981

$578Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 8 claims, $96K
Hurricane Sandy: 2 claims, $96K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Madison County.

Disasters that hit Sullivan

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SullivanDeclared for Madison County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$32K to the Town of Sullivan for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the Town of Sullivan for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$13K to the Town of Sullivan for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$12K to the Town of Sullivan for repairs

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

Around Sullivan

Sullivan and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Viennamostly inland floodingVery high

Sullivanmostly inland floodingHigh

Manliusmostly inland floodingHigh

Constantiamostly inland floodingModerate

Fennermostly inland floodingModerate

Lenoxmostly inland floodingLow

Ciceromostly inland floodingLow

Cazenoviamostly 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. Sullivan covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sullivan’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Sullivan. 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 Sullivan total about $4.9M 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.