Natural Disasters in New York: History & Risk Data
110,643 recorded disaster events across 1,613 ZIP codes.
State Statistics
Event Timeline
Hazard Breakdown
Most Affected ZIP Codes in New York
📊 New York Disaster Profile
With 110,643 recorded natural disaster events across 1,613 ZIP codes, New York carries a substantial history of natural hazard activity. The cumulative documented property damage stands at $53.3B. A total of 6,662 fatalities have been attributed to natural disasters in the state.
⚠️ Hazard Distribution
Blizzards lead New York's disaster profile with 52,667 events (48%), causing $7.9B in property damage. Other significant hazards include hailstorms (24,704 events, $856.7M in damages), floods (23,656 events, $38.3B in damages), and severe wind events (3,968 events, $983.7M in damages). New York has no recorded hurricanes in the dataset.
📍 Geographic Impact
The most disaster-affected areas in New York include ZIP 12855 (431 events, $10.3M in damages), ZIP 12964 (423 events, $9.7M in damages), and ZIP 12943 (420 events, $11.9M in damages).
📈 Trends Over Time
Disaster frequency in New York has increased markedly over time. The average annual event count in recent decades is roughly 2736% higher than in earlier periods of the record. The year 2008 stands out as particularly active, with 6,520 events recorded — likely driven by a major weather system or disaster season.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions — New York
What natural disasters occur in New York?
New York has experienced 110,643 documented natural disaster events. The hazard types recorded include blizzards (52,667), hailstorms (24,704), floods (23,656), severe wind events (3,968), tornadoes (2,753), extreme cold events (1,804), extreme heat events (765), earthquakes (302), and wildfires (24). The most common hazard is blizzards, accounting for 48% of all events.
What are the most disaster-prone areas in New York?
Based on historical records, the most disaster-affected ZIP codes in New York are ZIP 12855 (431 events), ZIP 12964 (423 events), ZIP 12943 (420 events), ZIP 12953 (404 events), and ZIP 12980 (395 events). These areas have the highest concentration of recorded natural disaster events in the state.
How much damage have natural disasters caused in New York?
Natural disasters have caused a documented $53.3B in property damage across New York. This total is based on records from FEMA, NOAA, and USGS, covering events from the 1950s onward. The actual figure is likely higher, as not all events have complete damage records.
About This Data
State-level data aggregated from FEMA (disaster declarations, NFIP flood claims), NOAA Storm Events Database, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and NIFC wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source, with most records beginning in the 1950s–1970s. Full methodology →