Natural hazards · Lowell

Lowell, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lowell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1997. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lowell?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lowell to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Lowell faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

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 Lowell flood?

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

3paid claims since 1997

$42Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orleans County.

Disasters that hit Lowell

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LowellDeclared for Orleans County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

11 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $88K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$32K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

2012

Severe Storm, Tornado, and Flooding

$269K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $28K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $21K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

2001

Snow

$5K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

1999

Tropical Storm Floyd

$2K to the Town of Lowell for repairs

Orleans County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Lowell

Lowell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Montgomerymostly inland floodingHigh

Lowellmostly inland floodingModerate

Albanymostly inland floodingModerate

Irasburgmostly inland floodingModerate

Edenmostly inland floodingModerate

Westfieldmostly 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. Lowell 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 Lowell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Lowell. 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.