FEMA Records
26
High volume
New York · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Cattaraugus County, NY
26 FEMA disaster declarations (1968-2023), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Severe Storm.
- 26
- FEMA declarations
- 15
- Major disasters
- 82
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Severe Storm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Cattaraugus County. Its 26 FEMA declarations are 6% above the New York county mean and exceed the count for 75% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 18%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 18%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 26
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 493
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Cattaraugus County compare?
Cattaraugus County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
26 Top 25% higher than 75% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Cattaraugus County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the New York county average
What does Cattaraugus County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 493 paid claims, totaling $5.1M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $10.4K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Cattaraugus County's 26 federal records stand 6% above the New York county mean of 24.5. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 81.6/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $33.8M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively High and community resilience Relatively High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Riverine Flooding carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 2.2 times per year here, based on 61 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 26 entries for Cattaraugus County, including 15 Major Disaster records, 6% above the New York county mean. Across the 55-year span, that works out to 0.5 declarations a year. Severe Storm leads the file with 7 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
66 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Cattaraugus County, NY · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
19/30
26 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.3x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
13/25
26 declarations (1.1x state county average of 25)
Major Disaster Share High
14/25
15 of 26 declarations are major disasters (58%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
20/20
9 different disaster types declared in Cattaraugus County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. New York Avg
+6%
State avg: 24.5
vs. National Avg
+25%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.5
Over 55 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Cattaraugus County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
58%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
82
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Cattaraugus County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.2 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 34 times per year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | an average of 1.3 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.9 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 4 years |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | roughly once every 32 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 37 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 3.9 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,923 years |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 39,376 years |
| Hail | Very Low | an average of 1.1 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 0.7 modeled event-days per year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Snowstorm 7
Severe Storm 7
Flood 3
Biological 2
Hurricane 2
Other 2
Winter Storm 1
Fire 1
Severe Ice Storm 1
What Severe Storm declarations mean here
Severe Storm is the most frequent declaration type on Cattaraugus County's record, 27% of its declarations. In FEMA's vocabulary this covers convective weather: thunderstorm straight-line winds, large hail, and the multi-day outbreaks that often carry embedded tornadoes. Activity is heaviest in spring and summer, though the season varies by region.
These events behave differently from a hurricane on paper. Damage tends to be distributed along a storm track rather than concentrated on a coastline, and a declaration typically follows an outbreak that crossed several counties over a few days, not a single point of impact. Because the qualifying threshold is the cost of uninsured public and individual losses rather than storm intensity, two similar storms can produce a declaration in one year and none in another.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 15 57.7%
of all 26 declarations
Emergency - 11 42.3%
of all 26 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 3 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
Show 5 earlier declaration years
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 2 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
| 1968 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 26 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 26 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3589 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2022-11-20 |
| 4480 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-20 |
| 3434 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4204 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING | DR | Snowstorm | 2014-12-22 |
| 4180 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2014-07-08 |
| 3351 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-28 |
| 1857 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-09-01 |
| 3262 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-30 |
| 1564 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-10-01 |
| 1534 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-08-03 |
| 1486 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2003-08-29 |
| 3186 | POWER OUTAGE | EM | Other | 2003-08-23 |
| 3170 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2001-12-31 |
| 1391 | FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS | DR | Fire | 2001-09-11 |
| 3157 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2000-12-04 |
| 3155 | WEST NILE VIRUS | EM | Other | 2000-10-11 |
| 1335 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2000-07-21 |
| 3136 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 1999-01-15 |
| 1233 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-07-07 |
| 1095 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1996-01-24 |
Show 6 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3107 | SEVERE BLIZZARD | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-17 |
| 527 | SNOWSTORMS | DR | Snowstorm | 1977-02-05 |
| 3027 | SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1977-01-29 |
| 494 | ICE STORM,SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 1976-03-19 |
| 338 | TROPICAL STORM AGNES | DR | Flood | 1972-06-23 |
| 233 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1967-10-30 |
Storm Events in New York
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Cattaraugus County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 8,295 | 6 | 45 | $45.0M |
| Winter Weather | 2,261 | 7 | 17 | $705.5K |
| Flash Flood | 1,775 | 23 | 3 | $674.3M |
| Strong Wind | 1,399 | 2 | 12 | $9.2M |
| Winter Storm | 1,228 | 13 | 2 | $4.9M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
493
Total Paid
$5.1M
Avg Per Claim
$10.4K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 81.6/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$33.8M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Landslide Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Hurricane Relatively Low
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Avalanche Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Hail Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Riverine Flooding
Riverine Flooding is the model's measure of a watershed draining more water than its channel can carry. Unlike flash flooding it usually builds over days and is forecast in advance, which makes it the hazard where warning time most reliably converts into reduced harm.
Worth noting for Cattaraugus County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Riverine Flooding carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Moderate), while the county's declaration history is led by Severe Storm. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Cattaraugus County's closest FEMA peer: Wharton County, TX
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Cattaraugus County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Cattaraugus County shows 26 FEMA declarations, led by Severe Storm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Cattaraugus County: 15 of 26 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Cattaraugus County: NRI composite 81.6 (Relatively Moderate).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Cattaraugus County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Cattaraugus County's NFIP claims file (493 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Cattaraugus County?
The most common disaster type in Cattaraugus County is Severe Storm, with 7 declarations. Other disaster types include Snowstorm (7), Flood (3), Biological (2).
How does Cattaraugus County's FEMA declaration record compare with the New York average?
FEMA lists 26 declaration records for Cattaraugus County. That is 6% above the New York county mean of 24.5. Its count is also 25% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Cattaraugus County received?
Cattaraugus County has received 15 major disaster declarations, representing 58% of all 26 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Cattaraugus County filed?
Cattaraugus County has 493 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $5.1M in payments, with an average of $10.4K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Cattaraugus County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Cattaraugus County was 2001, with 3 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1968 to 2023.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Cattaraugus County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Cattaraugus County, New York has an overall risk score of 81.6 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively High, while community resilience comes in at Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $33.8M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Cattaraugus County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Cattaraugus County is Riverine Flooding (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Lightning (Relatively High) and Landslide (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts riverine flooding here at an average of 2.2 times per year, drawn from 61 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, NY has 26 federal declaration records, 6% more than the New York county mean of 25; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 15 of 26 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. New York overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the New York mean and the totals for 75% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- Use the data guide to separate this mid-volume insurance-claims file from declaration counts and modeled NRI risk. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.