Lewis County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lewis County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Lewis County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, winter weather, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 42 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Lewis County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including snowstorm (9), severe storm (6), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 13.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.9 | 33 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.2 | 3 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 47.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 23.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Lewis County ranks in the 19th percentile (Very 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 7th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 27th | Low |
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 | 4th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 3rd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 42 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 6 in 2016–20 vs 36 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 Lewis County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lewis County, New York are ice storm, winter weather, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Lewis County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lewis County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (9 declarations).
Has Lewis County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lewis County include Severe Storm And Flooding (2025), Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Lewis County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oneida County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Hamilton County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Lewis County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Lewis County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lewis 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. Lewis County's composite score of 25 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 25% of US counties.