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Natural hazards · West Seneca

West Seneca, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Seneca comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 120 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is West Seneca?

62
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Seneca to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding75%Cold waves17%Everything else9%
By hazard

What West Seneca faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 West Seneca flood?

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

120paid claims since 1978
$865Kpaid to owners
7homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 2 claims, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. West 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: Erie County.
Disasters that hit West Seneca

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West SenecaDeclared for Erie County only
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$442K to the Town of West Seneca for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$754K to the Town of West Seneca for repairs
2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $245 aid approved
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

854 households applied for aid $407K aid approved $1.3M to the Town of West Seneca for repairs
2001

Severe Winter Storm

$607K to the Town of West Seneca for repairs
2000

Snow

$35K to the Town of West Seneca for repairs
1999

Snow

$48K to the Town of West Seneca for repairs
Erie County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.
Around West Seneca

West Seneca and the towns around it

Cheektowaga: Low, mostly inland floodingBuffalo: High, mostly inland floodingLackawanna: High, mostly inland floodingOrchard Park: Low, mostly inland floodingElma: Low, mostly inland floodingAmherst: Low, mostly inland floodingSloan: Very high, mostly inland floodingLancaster: Very low, mostly inland floodingWilliamsville: Low, mostly inland floodingTonawanda: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHamburg: Low, mostly inland floodingBlasdell: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAurora: Low, mostly inland floodingBoston: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMarilla: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWest Seneca: High, mostly inland flooding West SenecaCheektowagaBuffaloLackawannaOrchard ParkElma
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Lackawannamostly inland floodingHigh
West Senecamostly inland floodingHigh
Buffalomostly inland floodingHigh
Cheektowagamostly inland floodingLow
Orchard Parkmostly inland floodingLow
Elmamostly 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. West Seneca covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Seneca’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of West 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 West Seneca total about $16.0M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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