Enter any address in Rensselaer County, New York to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Rensselaer County, with 60 occurrences in the last 30 years. Other flood types include general flooding (57 events), tropical storms (2 events), and storm surge/tide (1 event). Recent events include heavy rainfall in July 2023, which brought 3 to 6 inches of rain to parts of eastern New York, and widespread moderate to heavy rainfall in December 2023 that caused both areal and river flooding, with some rivers remaining high for several days.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have the highest number of claims (290) with an average payout of $11,346 and an average water depth of 6.1 feet. Properties in Zone X_SHADED have a higher average payout ($35,620) and average water depth (4.2 feet) despite fewer claims (24). Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, Zone X_SHADED, and those near rivers or without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
61 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Rensselaer County, New York has recorded 120 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 60 flash floods and 57 river or area floods. The county has received 29 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Henri | Hurricane | Aug 21, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Mar 14, 2017 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2012 |
| Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee | Severe Storm | Sep 7, 2011 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 26, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Dec 11, 2008 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 26, 2006 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 75.00K |
| Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 2.00K |
| Flood | Jul 16, 2023 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Jan 13, 2023 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Dec 23, 2022 | 30.00K |
| Flood | Apr 7, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 14, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2021 | 500.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2021 | 200.00K |
Flood — Dec 18, 2023
An area of low pressure tracked up the East Coast and intensified in the process as it brought widespread moderate to heavy rainfall across eastern New York on December 18, 2023. Rainfall totals were between 2 and 5 inches with the highest amounts across the eastern Catskills. This rain led to both areal and river flooding across the region. Some rivers didn't recede until December 22.||States ...
Flood — Jul 16, 2023
A couple of rounds of showers and thunderstorms resulted in wind damage and flash flooding over parts of eastern New York on July 16, 2023. One round occurred during the early morning hours which resulted in some downed trees and wires as well as some street flooding and washouts, primarily across the mid-Hudson Valley. The second round moved through during the afternoon leading to some floodin...
Flood — Jan 13, 2023
Waves of rainfall, which at times were heavy, Thursday evening (January 12th) into Friday morning (January 13th) combined with runoff from southern Vermont may have been the cause of a culvert overflowing and collapsing in the town of Hoosick Falls.
Flash Flood — Jul 9, 2023
A strong upper-level system brought widespread rounds of showers and thunderstorms to eastern New York on July 9-11, 2023. The steadiest and heaviest rainfall occurred during the afternoon hours on July 9, the early morning hours on July 10 and during the evening hours on July 10 into the overnight hours on July 11. Rainfall totals varied greatly from region to region but the hardest hit areas ...
Flood — Dec 23, 2022
Two separate frontal systems merged to form a powerful winter storm over the Great Lakes from December 22 to December 24 bringing multiple hazards to the region including heavy rain, snow, strong winds and a very cold air mass in its wake.||Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches were observed with some localized amounts of 4 inches. The combination of the rain and snowmelt in some places ...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Rensselaer County, New York:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Rensselaer County, New York that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.