Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Northwest Hills Planning Region's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties. No federal disaster declarations are on record for this county.
Northwest Hills Planning Region's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, hurricane, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 110% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (27th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
No federal disaster declarations on record for Northwest Hills Planning Region as of September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 39.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 30.8 | 31 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 86.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 50.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Northwest Hills Planning Region ranks in the 27th 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 | 27th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 26th | 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 | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (+110% — frequency increasing).
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 Northwest Hills Planning Region?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Northwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut are inland flooding, hurricane, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
How does Northwest Hills Planning Region's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Capitol Planning Region, CT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Columbia County, NY has the lowest (Relatively Low). Northwest Hills Planning Region is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Northwest Hills Planning Region's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Northwest Hills Planning Region'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. Northwest Hills Planning Region's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.