New York lightning risk
Kings County has the highest lightning risk in New York, scoring 98 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded lightning events across New York have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kings County | 98 | Very High | 5 |
| 2 | Westchester County | 97.6 | Very High | 1 |
| 3 | Suffolk County | 97.5 | Very High | 13 |
| 4 | Nassau County | 97.3 | Very High | 12 |
| 5 | Queens County | 96.2 | Relatively High | 6 |
| 6 | Bronx County | 94.7 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 7 | New York County | 94 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 8 | Warren County | 92.8 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 9 | Onondaga County | 91.9 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 10 | Rockland County | 91.7 | Relatively High | 3 |
| 11 | Chautauqua County | 89.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 12 | Oneida County | 89.1 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 13 | Albany County | 88.9 | Relatively High | 4 |
| 14 | Dutchess County | 88.1 | Relatively High | 3 |
| 15 | Orange County | 87.9 | Relatively High | 10 |
| 16 | Cattaraugus County | 86.5 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 17 | Erie County | 86.3 | Relatively High | 3 |
| 18 | Genesee County | 85.8 | Relatively High | 3 |
| 19 | Ulster County | 84.8 | Relatively High | 4 |
| 20 | Broome County | 84.3 | Relatively High | 6 |
| 21 | Essex County | 81 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 22 | Rensselaer County | 80.2 | Relatively Moderate | 4 |
| 23 | Washington County | 79.7 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 24 | Saratoga County | 78.5 | Relatively Moderate | 8 |
| 25 | St. Lawrence County | 77.6 | Relatively Moderate | 3 |
| 26 | Monroe County | 77.5 | Relatively Moderate | 3 |
| 27 | Niagara County | 76.9 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 28 | Columbia County | 76.6 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 29 | Steuben County | 76.5 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 30 | Sullivan County | 75.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 31 | Schenectady County | 73.7 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 32 | Madison County | 72.4 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 33 | Clinton County | 71 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 34 | Franklin County | 66.5 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 35 | Oswego County | 63.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 36 | Tompkins County | 62.4 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 37 | Richmond County | 61.9 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 38 | Allegany County | 61.2 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 39 | Chemung County | 58.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 40 | Ontario County | 55.8 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 41 | Montgomery County | 55 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 42 | Wyoming County | 52.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 43 | Herkimer County | 51.6 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 44 | Wayne County | 51.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 45 | Livingston County | 49.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 46 | Otsego County | 49.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 47 | Delaware County | 49.1 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 48 | Chenango County | 48.4 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 49 | Cayuga County | 47.6 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 50 | Jefferson County | 46.2 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 51 | Fulton County | 44.7 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 52 | Greene County | 44.4 | Relatively Low | 5 |
| 53 | Tioga County | 44.1 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 54 | Putnam County | 43.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 55 | Yates County | 39.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 56 | Cortland County | 37.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 57 | Seneca County | 33.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 58 | Schuyler County | 28.7 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 59 | Schoharie County | 28.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 60 | Orleans County | 27.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 61 | Lewis County | 23.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 62 | Hamilton County | 14.6 | Very Low | 0 |
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.
Lightning risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in New York:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in New York?
Kings County, NY has the highest lightning risk in New York, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in New York are rated Very High for lightning risk?
4 of 62 scored New York counties are rated "Very High" for lightning risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes lightning risk in New York?
Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.