Natural hazards · Stowe

Stowe, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Stowe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1984. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Stowe?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Stowe to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Stowe faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Stowe flood?

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

18paid claims since 1984

$141Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $4K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lamoille County.

Disasters that hit Stowe

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into StoweDeclared for Lamoille County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.5M to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

55 households applied for aid $274K aid approved $1.6M to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$56K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

22 households applied for aid $64K aid approved $44K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$153K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$123K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

19 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $302K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $421K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

2001

Snow

$11K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

1999

Tropical Storm Floyd

$24K to the Town of Stowe for repairs

Lamoille County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Stowe

Stowe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cambridgemostly inland floodingModerate

Waterburymostly inland floodingModerate

Stowemostly inland floodingLow

Worcestermostly inland floodingLow

Underhillmostly inland floodingLow

Morristownmostly 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. Stowe covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Stowe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Stowe. 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 Stowe total about $2.8M 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.