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Wyoming County, New York

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
57th of 62highest risk in New York
$15Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Wyoming County, New York has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 59% of US counties. It ranks 57th of 62 counties in New York. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $371 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in November 2022 (severe winter storm and snowstorm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (74 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $975,000 on 113 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Wyoming County

$12 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$569,213 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$513,716 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow63.7
$12M
TornadoLow29.2
$569K
Cold waveLow31.0
$514K
Strong windLow37.1
$436K
HailLow55.2
$377K
HurricaneLow62.5
$311K
LightningLow52.9
$301K
DroughtLow55.0
$241K
Ice stormLow57.2
$138K
EarthquakeVery Low25.9
$56K
Winter weatherLow39.8
$53K
Heat waveVery Low15.8
$47K
WildfireVery Low13.1
$5K
LandslideVery Low41.8
$867
AvalancheVery Low25.6
$80

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Wyoming County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Snowstorm8
Severe Storm4
Flood3
Hurricane2
Severe Ice Storm1
Fire1

Most recent

Nov 20, 2022Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormEmergency
Dec 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 28, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Jun 10, 2011Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 30, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 3, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2003Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 31, 2001SnowEmergency
Sep 11, 2001Fires and ExplosionsMajor disaster
Mar 10, 1999SnowEmergency
Show all 20
Jan 15, 1999SnowEmergency
Jul 7, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 16, 1998Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 24, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 1993Severe BlizzardEmergency
Mar 21, 1991Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 5, 1977SnowstormsMajor disaster
Jan 29, 1977SnowstormsEmergency
Mar 19, 1976Ice Storm,Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

New York also had 12 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1965

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 266 storm reports in Wyoming County since 1965, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $10.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 2, 1998 near Orangeville Center.

4tornadoes
40hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
177damaging thunderstorm winds
37floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 2, 1998F2Orangeville Center0 / 0
Jul 28, 2022EF2Java Center0 / 0
Jul 7, 1965F1–0 / 0
May 1, 1991F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 26, 1998Flash FloodArcade$5M
Jun 2, 1998TornadoOrangeville Center$1M
Jul 28, 2022TornadoJava Center$750K
Jul 8, 1998Flash FloodWarsaw$250K
Jul 8, 1998Flash FloodArcade$250K
Jul 8, 1998Flash FloodAttica$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1876, 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Wyoming County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, with top winds near 70 mph about 54 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
2tropical storms
1893most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 14, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph54 mi
Sep 18, 1876UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 14, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph54 mi
Sep 18, 1876UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Wyoming County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (74 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$974,839paid on 113 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $682,110 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Wyoming County

$162,300median home value (New York $423,800, US $332,700)
1960median year homes were built (New York 1959, US 1980)
72%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.9%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 18,263 housing units.

Compare in New York

All 62 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Kings CountyHighInland flooding
Queens CountyHighInland flooding
New York CountyHighInland flooding
Suffolk CountyHighInland flooding
Bronx CountyHighInland flooding
Nassau CountyHighInland flooding
Westchester CountyHighInland flooding
Erie CountyHighInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Erie CountyHigh23
Cattaraugus CountyModerate22
Livingston CountyLow16
Genesee CountyLow21
Allegany CountyLow21

Common questions about Wyoming County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Wyoming County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Wyoming County, about $12 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $569,213.

How many federal disasters has Wyoming County had?

Wyoming County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm in November 2022.

Is Wyoming County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 57th highest of 62 in New York. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Wyoming County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Wyoming County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Wyoming County had?

NOAA records list 4 tornadoes in Wyoming County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 2, 1998 near Orangeville Center. The weather service has also logged 40 hail reports and 37 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Wyoming County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Wyoming County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, with winds near 70 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.