30 flood insurance claims·$409,911 paid·4 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Schuyler County, New York. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood risk profile in Schuyler County, NY, accounting for 21 out of 22 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside 1 general flood event.
Severe weather events have frequently triggered localized inundation across the area. For example, in June 2025, slow-moving thunderstorms driven by excessive rainfall rates produced minor flash flooding in street and poor drainage areas. Similarly, in July 2023, heavy rain-producing thunderstorms dropped between 2 and 4 inches of rainfall, causing flooding of streams, creeks, and roadways. Previous saturated conditions also exacerbated events, such as in October 2021 when heavy rainfall on the heels of a prior storm system led to widespread flash flooding.
Homeowners and real estate professionals should pay the closest attention to properties located within FEMA Flood Zone A, which accounts for the highest frequency of National Flood Insurance Program claims with 17 claims averaging an $8,156 payout and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Additionally, properties in unshaded Zone X require attention, as 11 claims in this zone recorded a higher average payout of $50,240 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
39% of Schuyler County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
28 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 2 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1993, with 11 claims and $87,984 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
10 NOAA storm reports from Schuyler County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the New York flood stories →
15 federal disaster declarations since 1970, 4 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Aug 13, 2018 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Oct 27, 2012 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 13, 2004 |
| Power Outage | Aug 14, 2003 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Jul 21, 2003 |
| Fires And Explosions | Sep 11, 2001 |
| West Nile Virus | May 22, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
22 since 1996: 21 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 18, 2025 | $2,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2025 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | $12,000 |
| Flash Flood | Oct 29, 2021 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2019 | $2,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 14, 2018 | $75,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2017 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2015 | $2.6M |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 18, 2025. Slow moving thunderstorms developed in a warm and humid airmass during the afternoon hours over the Southern Tier of NY. Rainfall rates were excessive and produced up to 3 inches of rain within a 1-to-2-hour time span. This led to areas of minor flash flooding, mostly confined to street and poor drainage areas in developed areas.
Flash Flood · Jun 9, 2025. A slow-moving cold front arrived during the evening hours, moving into a very moist environment. The unstable atmosphere produced several thunderstorms, a few of which produced torrential rainfall and localized flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jul 9, 2023. Weak low pressure systems embedded in a hot and humid airmass over the region contributed to several rounds of heavy rain-producing thunderstorm activity. Isolated locations in Central New York received between 2 to 4 inches of rainfall and experienced flooding of streams, creeks and roadways.
Flash Flood · Oct 29, 2021. Low pressure over the Ohio Valley allowed southeast winds out ahead of the storm system to draw in deep Atlantic moisture across Central New York. This combined with an upper level disturbance sweeping through the area produced widespread moderate to heavy rainfall. This rain came on the heels of a heavy rain day three days prior, making it easier for additional flash flooding to develop.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Schuyler County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.