Natural hazards · Western

Western, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Western comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1999. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Western?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Western to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Cold waves10%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Western faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Western flood?

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

3paid claims since 1999

$13Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19992026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oneida County.

Disasters that hit Western

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WesternDeclared for Oneida County only

2021

Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred

$1.1M to the Town of Western for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the Town of Western for repairs

2007

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$15K to the Town of Western for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$26K to the Town of Western for repairs

2004

Snow

$13K to the Town of Western for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$15K to the Town of Western for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$212K to the Town of Western for repairs

Oneida County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Western

Western and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Westernmostly inland floodingLow

Leemostly inland floodingLow

Avamostly inland floodingLow

Steubenmostly inland floodingLow

Boonvillemostly inland floodingVery low

Romemostly inland floodingVery low

Floydmostly 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. Western covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Western’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Western. 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 Western total about $653K 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.