FEMA rates relative winter weather risk for Erie County as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 18.473 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Erie County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 18.473 per year for winter weather. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Erie County.
Winter Weather
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
98.4/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Erie County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Buffalo, FEMA rates winter weather risk for Erie County as very high, with a relative score of 98.4/100. The next highest relative scores are cold wave at 98.3/100 and riverine flooding at 94.3/100.
Using FEMA data for Erie County, Buffalo is #1 among 14 covered New York entries for winter weather risk. Rochester is about 65 straight-line miles from the Buffalo map point; its FEMA figures cover Monroe County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Buffalo? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Buffalo. All FEMA figures on this page cover Erie County.
The FEMA figures cover Erie County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative winter weather risk for Erie County as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 18.473 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 14 New York cities covered by this directory, Buffalo is #1 for relative winter weather risk based on FEMA's score for Erie County. Homes within Buffalo can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Erie County, the highest relative ratings are Winter Weather (Very High), Cold Wave (Very High), and Riverine Flooding (Relatively Moderate). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Erie County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Erie County an overall relative risk rating of relatively moderate. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Winter Weather rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | 65 mi | Relatively High | 88.5 |
| Erie, PA | 83 mi | Relatively High | 96.8 |
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Hazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.