Natural hazards · Wheeler

Wheeler, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wheeler comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wheeler?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wheeler to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Drought6%Tornadoes5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Wheeler 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 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Drought

6% of expected damage

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 68 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Wheeler flood?

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

2paid claims since 1996

$9Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $7K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Steuben County.

Disasters that hit Wheeler

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WheelerDeclared for Steuben County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$488K to the Town of Wheeler for repairs

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$207K to the Town of Wheeler for repairs

2011

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

$27K to the Town of Wheeler for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$43K to the Town of Wheeler for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$27K to the Town of Wheeler for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$21K to the Town of Wheeler for repairs

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

Around Wheeler

Wheeler and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Urbanamostly inland floodingHigh

Avocamostly inland floodingModerate

Bathmostly inland floodingLow

Wheelermostly inland floodingLow

Prattsburghmostly 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. Wheeler is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wheeler’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Wheeler. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.