Natural hazards · Watertown

Watertown, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watertown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 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 Watertown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watertown to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Cold waves9%Strong wind5%Earthquakes5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Watertown 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

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Watertown flood?

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

15paid claims since 1978

$55Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Watertown

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatertownDeclared for Jefferson County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$118K to the City of Watertown for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$28K to the City of Watertown for repairs

1999

Snow

$27K to the City of Watertown for repairs

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

Around Watertown

Watertown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Watertownmostly inland floodingLow

Watertownmostly inland floodingVery low

Le Raymostly inland floodingVery low

Pameliamostly 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. Watertown covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watertown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Watertown. 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 Watertown total about $4.6M 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.