Rockland County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rockland County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Rockland County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 187% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (75th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Rockland County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (11), severe storm (5), flood (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 14.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.8 | 43 | 0 | $3.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 64.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.5 | 1 | 0 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 85.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.7 | 3 | 0 | $17K |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 35.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Rockland County ranks in the 75th percentile (High) 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 | 75th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 61st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | 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 | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 40.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 58 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 43 in 2021–25 (+187% — 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 Rockland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rockland County, New York are strong wind, winter weather, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Rockland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rockland County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (11 declarations).
Has Rockland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Rockland County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Rockland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bronx County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Putnam County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Rockland County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Rockland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rockland 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. Rockland County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.