Avalanche Risk in New York

All New York counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index avalanche score

Avalanche risk — fast-moving snow and debris sliding down steep mountain slopes — is rated for 44 of 62 New York counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Essex County carries the state's highest avalanche score at 81.4, with $457K in expected annual avalanche losses.

No New York county reaches the High band for avalanche, and expected annual losses from avalanche total roughly $485K statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.

County Rankings — Avalanche

#CountyAvalanche ScoreRatingAnn. Freq.Ann. Loss
1 Essex County
81.4
Medium 0.03 / yr $457K
2 Greene County
72.5
Low 0.01 / yr $7K
3 Ulster County
71.1
Low 0.01 / yr $5K
4 Delaware County
69.3
Low 0.01 / yr $3K
5 Warren County
64.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $2K
6 Hamilton County
62.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $2K
7 Washington County
56.4
Very Low 0.01 / yr $1K
8 Steuben County
56.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $894
9 Franklin County
52.8
Very Low 0.01 / yr $642
10 Schoharie County
52.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $662
11 Chemung County
51.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $585
12 Orange County
50.1
Very Low 0.01 / yr $618
13 Clinton County
48.8
Very Low 0.01 / yr $486
14 Dutchess County
46.5
Very Low 0.01 / yr $471
15 Ontario County
43.9
Very Low 0.01 / yr $388
16 Rensselaer County
41.5
Very Low 0.01 / yr $302
17 Onondaga County
40.4
Very Low 0.01 / yr $278
18 Columbia County
38.2
Very Low 0.01 / yr $200
19 Tioga County
37.6
Very Low 0.01 / yr $183
20 Schuyler County
37.3
Very Low 0.01 / yr $180
21 Otsego County
36.7
Very Low 0.01 / yr $158
22 Albany County
36.5
Very Low 0.01 / yr $191
23 Tompkins County
36.4
Very Low 0.01 / yr $187
24 Sullivan County
36.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $160
25 Rockland County
35.8
Very Low 0.01 / yr $138
26 Cattaraugus County
35.2
Very Low 0.01 / yr $120
27 Putnam County
33.6
Very Low 0.01 / yr $225
28 Cortland County
32.7
Very Low 0.01 / yr $134
29 Livingston County
31.4
Very Low 0.01 / yr $116
30 Saratoga County
31.3
Very Low 0.01 / yr $197
31 Westchester County
30.1
Very Low 0.01 / yr $104
32 Cayuga County
29.7
Very Low 0.01 / yr $113
33 Montgomery County
29.2
Very Low 0.01 / yr $83
34 Herkimer County
28.4
Very Low 0.01 / yr $91
35 Allegany County
26.5
Very Low 0.01 / yr $72
36 Wyoming County
25.6
Very Low 0.01 / yr $80
37 Erie County
24.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $54
38 Broome County
20.6
Very Low 0.01 / yr $33
39 Yates County
20.3
Very Low 0.01 / yr $25
40 St. Lawrence County
17.8
Very Low 0.01 / yr $22
41 Fulton County
14.5
Very Low 0.01 / yr $19
42 Chautauqua County
14.2
Very Low 0.01 / yr $14
43 Madison County
11.3
Very Low 0.01 / yr $11
44 Niagara County
6.3
Very Low 0.01 / yr $3

44 New York counties with measurable avalanche risk. See the national avalanche ranking or all New York counties by overall risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which New York county has the highest avalanche risk?

Essex County has the highest FEMA avalanche risk score in New York at 81.4 (Medium), with $457K in expected annual losses and about 0.03 events per year.

How many New York counties face significant avalanche risk?

44 New York counties record measurable avalanche risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.

Other Hazards in New York

Coastal Flood Cold Wave Drought Earthquake Hail Heat Wave Hurricane Ice Storm Riverine Flood Landslide Lightning Strong Wind Tornado Wildfire Winter Weather