Natural hazards · Vernon

Vernon, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vernon comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2011. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vernon?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vernon to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding69%Cold waves10%Hurricanes6%Tornadoes6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Vernon faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 70 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Vernon flood?

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

2paid claims since 2011

$6Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Windham County.

Disasters that hit Vernon

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into VernonDeclared for Windham County only

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

7 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $10K to the Town of Vernon for repairs

2001

Snow

$4K to the Town of Vernon for repairs

Windham County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Vernon

Vernon and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hinsdalemostly inland floodingHigh

Brattleboromostly inland floodingModerate

Vernonmostly inland floodingModerate

Guilfordmostly inland floodingModerate

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