Natural hazards · Westport

Westport, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Westport comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Westport?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Westport to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and avalanches.

Inland flooding56%Avalanches32%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Westport faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Avalanches

32% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Westport flood?

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

11paid claims since 1979

$168Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $47K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Essex County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Westport

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WestportDeclared for Essex County only

2024

Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$3.7M to the Town of Westport for repairs

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.7M to the Town of Westport for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$85K to the Town of Westport for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$10K to the Town of Westport for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

22 households applied for aid $33K aid approved $108K to the Town of Westport for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$62K to the Town of Westport for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$336K to the Town of Westport for repairs

Essex County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Westport

Westport and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Westportmostly inland floodingHigh

Essexmostly inland floodingHigh

Lewismostly inland floodingHigh

Elizabethtownmostly inland floodingModerate

Moriahmostly inland floodingModerate

Ferrisburghmostly inland floodingLow

Pantonmostly 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. Westport covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Westport’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Westport. 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 Westport total about $1.4M 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.