Onondaga County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Onondaga County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Onondaga County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 67% 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. Onondaga County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (4), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 46.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.2 | 34 | 0 | $10.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 77.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | 22 | 0 | $15K |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 62.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 40.4 | — | — | — |
| 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
Onondaga County ranks in the 59th 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 | 59th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 49th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 80th | 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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 56 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 35 in 2021–25 (+67% — 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 Onondaga County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Onondaga County, New York are strong wind, winter weather, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Onondaga County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Onondaga County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Onondaga County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Onondaga County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred in 2022.
How does Onondaga County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tompkins County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Seneca County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Onondaga County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Onondaga County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Onondaga 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. Onondaga County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.