Suffolk County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Suffolk County has experienced 36 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Suffolk County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, coastal flooding, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 28% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Suffolk County has been designated in 36 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (13), severe storm (9), snowstorm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 36 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 | Relatively Low | 73.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.3 | 113 | 0 | $3.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 98.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 10 | 0 | $2.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 96.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 36.9 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.5 | 13 | 1 | $623K |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 84.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Suffolk County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 22nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 43rd | 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 | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 35th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 155 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 68 in 2016–20 vs 87 in 2021–25 (+28% — 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 Suffolk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Suffolk County, New York are winter weather, coastal flooding, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Suffolk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Suffolk County has received 36 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (13 declarations).
Has Suffolk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Suffolk County include Severe Storm And Flooding (2025), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Suffolk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Suffolk County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Suffolk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Suffolk 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. Suffolk County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.