Washington County, New York: hazard risk
FEMA rates Washington County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 56.6 of 100, higher than 56% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 1,530 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | $730K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 65.9 | $1.8M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 83.4 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.7 | $782K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.7 | $14M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.5 | $122K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.7 | $1.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 41.4 | $251K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41.2 | $190K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.8 | $43K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.7 | $272K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 59.2 | $444K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 56.4 | $1K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 20.5 | $8K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 591 | 0 | $5.9M | 28th of 58 | 1150th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 349 | 0 | $216K | 21st of 58 | 505th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 153 | 0 | $50M | 24th of 58 | 985th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 131 | 0 | – | 10th of 58 | 184th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 112 | 0 | $450K | 26th of 58 | 442nd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 97 | 0 | – | 12th of 58 | 420th of 3,076 |
| Hail | 69 | 0 | $2.5M | 34th of 58 | 2327th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 9 | 0 | $700K | 27th of 58 | 744th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 7 | 0 | – | 30th of 58 | 2161st of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | $2.5M | 47th of 58 | 2589th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | – | 19th of 58 | 990th of 1,849 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | $158K | 6th of 58 | 797th of 2,972 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 5th of 58 | 324th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Washington County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.