Ulster County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ulster County has experienced 37 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Hurricane Henri in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Ulster County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, inland flooding, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 105% 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. Ulster County has been designated in 37 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), hurricane (9), flood (7).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Showing the 10 most recent of 37 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 | 52.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.9 | 69 | 0 | $305K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 66.3 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | 3 | 0 | $31K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.8 | 4 | 0 | $22K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 71.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Ulster County ranks in the 55th 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 | 55th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 61st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 113 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 76 in 2021–25 (+105% — 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 Ulster County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ulster County, New York are landslide, inland flooding, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Ulster County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ulster County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Ulster County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Ulster County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Henri in 2021.
How does Ulster County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Orange County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Greene County, NY has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ulster County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Ulster County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ulster 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. Ulster County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.