Clinton County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clinton County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Clinton County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, earthquake, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 24 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Clinton County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1993, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (4), snowstorm (3), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 24.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 10 | 0 | $960K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 83.5 | 9 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 47.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.3 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 61.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 14.9 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 48.8 | — | — | — |
| 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
Clinton County ranks in the 44th percentile (Low) 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 | 44th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 30th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 7 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 .
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 Clinton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clinton County, New York are ice storm, earthquake, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Clinton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clinton County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Clinton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Clinton County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Clinton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chittenden County, VT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Grand Isle County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Clinton County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Clinton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clinton 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. Clinton County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.