Kings County, New York Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · NY
HighComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 99th
Kings County faces high composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 99.3, 99th national percentile), driven primarily by winter weather and heat wave exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $375M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Kings County is high, with a National Risk Index score of 99.3 out of 100 — placing it in the 99th national percentile and in the upper tier of natural-disaster risk nationally. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in winter weather (heavy snow, blizzards, and hazardous winter conditions) at Very High risk — $2M in expected annual loss and about 8.71 events per year; heat wave (prolonged periods of extreme heat that threaten health and infrastructure) at Very High risk — $63M in expected annual loss and about 10.07 events per year; and strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Very High risk — $10M in expected annual loss and about 5.39 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $375M in expected annual loss for a population of 2.74M.
Beyond physical exposure, Kings County has a very high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a very low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
History supports the rating: Kings County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including 8 for hurricane events and 3 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Storm and Flooding (flood), declared in January 2024.
Among 62 New York counties, Kings County ranks #1 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Winter Weather | Very High | 8.71 / yr | $2M |
| Heat Wave | Very High | 10.07 / yr | $63M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 5.39 / yr | $10M |
| Riverine Flood | Very High | 1.96 / yr | $181M |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 0.48 / yr | $22M |
| Earthquake | High | 0.00 / yr | $52M |
| Lightning | Very High | 32.72 / yr | $2M |
| Hurricane | High | 0.16 / yr | $31M |
| Hail | High | 1.89 / yr | $2M |
| Tornado | High | 0.03 / yr | $6M |
| Ice Storm | High | 0.74 / yr | $775K |
| Coastal Flood | High | 3.76 / yr | $3M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $478 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $14K |
| Drought | Very Low | 1.62 / yr | $136 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Kings County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1965, most recently Severe Storm and Flooding in January 2024. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (8), Flood (3), Severe Storm (3).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2024 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| September 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| August 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| October 2012 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| October 2012 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| August 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| August 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Kings County?
Kings County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.3 out of 100, placing it in the High category and the 99th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Kings County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Winter Weather (Very High, $2M EAL), Heat Wave (Very High, $63M EAL), Strong Wind (Very High, $10M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Kings County compare to other New York counties?
Kings County ranks #1 of 62 New York counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a high rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Kings County had?
FEMA records 24 federal disaster declarations for Kings County since 1965, most often 8 for hurricane events and 3 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Storm and Flooding, declared in January 2024.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Kings County's $375M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.