Queens County
New York — Natural Disaster Risk Assessment
HighComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 99th
Queens County faces high composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 99.2, 99th national percentile), driven primarily by cold wave and heat wave exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $377M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Cold Wave | Very High | 0.52 / yr | $46M |
| Heat Wave | Very High | 10.59 / yr | $58M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 5.39 / yr | $10M |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 9.47 / yr | $2M |
| Riverine Flood | Very High | 3.29 / yr | $185M |
| Earthquake | High | 0.00 / yr | $35M |
| Hurricane | High | 0.16 / yr | $25M |
| Coastal Flood | Very High | 4.36 / yr | $9M |
| Lightning | High | 28.67 / yr | $1M |
| Hail | High | 1.89 / yr | $2M |
| Ice Storm | High | 0.74 / yr | $662K |
| Tornado | High | 0.06 / yr | $5M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $909 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $3K |
| Drought | Very Low | 0.89 / yr | $112 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Queens County?
Queens County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.2 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 Queens County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Cold Wave (Very High, $46M EAL), Heat Wave (Very High, $58M EAL), Strong Wind (Very High, $10M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Queens County compare to other New York counties?
Queens County ranks #2 of 62 New York counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a high rating.
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. Queens County's $377M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.