Cattaraugus County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cattaraugus County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Cattaraugus County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, lightning, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cattaraugus County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1968, covering 9 disaster types including snowstorm (7), severe storm (7), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1968.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 35.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | 33 | 0 | $165K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 31 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 35.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Cattaraugus County ranks in the 68th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 61st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 33rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 11th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 40 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (-18% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Cattaraugus County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cattaraugus County, New York are inland flooding, lightning, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Cattaraugus County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cattaraugus County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (7 declarations).
Has Cattaraugus County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Cattaraugus County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm in 2023.
How does Cattaraugus County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Erie County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Wyoming County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Cattaraugus County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Cattaraugus County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cattaraugus County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Cattaraugus County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.