New York cold wave risk
Queens County has the highest cold wave risk in New York, scoring 99.7 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queens County | 99.7 | Very High |
| 2 | Bronx County | 99.6 | Very High |
| 3 | Erie County | 99.6 | Very High |
| 4 | Kings County | 99.1 | Very High |
| 5 | New York County | 98.7 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Monroe County | 98 | Relatively High |
| 7 | Suffolk County | 95.3 | Relatively High |
| 8 | Westchester County | 93.7 | Relatively High |
| 9 | Nassau County | 92.7 | Relatively High |
| 10 | Orange County | 89.7 | Relatively High |
| 11 | Richmond County | 89.4 | Relatively High |
| 12 | St. Lawrence County | 88.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Oneida County | 87.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Rockland County | 86.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Otsego County | 85.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Warren County | 83.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 17 | Ulster County | 81.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 18 | Sullivan County | 78.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 19 | Dutchess County | 75.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 20 | Onondaga County | 74.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 21 | Broome County | 71.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 22 | Delaware County | 69.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 23 | Niagara County | 69.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 24 | Chautauqua County | 68.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 25 | Albany County | 68.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 26 | Washington County | 65.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 27 | Jefferson County | 64.5 | Relatively Low |
| 28 | Cattaraugus County | 59.3 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Montgomery County | 59.1 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Chenango County | 58.9 | Relatively Low |
| 31 | Fulton County | 58.6 | Relatively Low |
| 32 | Steuben County | 56.7 | Relatively Low |
| 33 | Saratoga County | 54.4 | Relatively Low |
| 34 | Rensselaer County | 52.7 | Relatively Low |
| 35 | Essex County | 51.8 | Relatively Low |
| 36 | Schenectady County | 46.8 | Relatively Low |
| 37 | Columbia County | 45 | Relatively Low |
| 38 | Greene County | 43.6 | Relatively Low |
| 39 | Franklin County | 43.2 | Relatively Low |
| 40 | Clinton County | 42.5 | Relatively Low |
| 41 | Livingston County | 42.4 | Relatively Low |
| 42 | Allegany County | 41 | Relatively Low |
| 43 | Putnam County | 39.1 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Herkimer County | 38.7 | Relatively Low |
| 45 | Genesee County | 37.5 | Relatively Low |
| 46 | Cortland County | 36.7 | Relatively Low |
| 47 | Madison County | 35.1 | Relatively Low |
| 48 | Chemung County | 33.7 | Relatively Low |
| 49 | Tompkins County | 33.2 | Relatively Low |
| 50 | Wyoming County | 31 | Relatively Low |
| 51 | Orleans County | 29.5 | Relatively Low |
| 52 | Schoharie County | 28 | Relatively Low |
| 53 | Lewis County | 26 | Relatively Low |
| 54 | Wayne County | 26 | Relatively Low |
| 55 | Tioga County | 25.9 | Relatively Low |
| 56 | Hamilton County | 23.3 | Very Low |
| 57 | Oswego County | 23.2 | Very Low |
| 58 | Cayuga County | 22 | Very Low |
| 59 | Seneca County | 20.2 | Very Low |
| 60 | Yates County | 16.5 | Very Low |
| 61 | Ontario County | 12.5 | Very Low |
| 62 | Schuyler County | 11.5 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in New York:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in New York?
Queens County, NY has the highest cold wave risk in New York, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.7 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in New York are rated Very High for cold wave risk?
4 of 62 scored New York counties are rated "Very High" for cold wave risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes cold wave risk in New York?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.