Natural Disasters in Holyoke, MA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

92.8

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

91.3

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

64.5

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

73.2

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Ice Storm94.6Hurricane93.2Strong Wind91.9

Hazard	Risk Score
Ice Storm	94.6
Hurricane	93.2
Strong Wind	91.9
Earthquake	90.6
Heat Wave	89.7
Cold Wave	84.9
Winter Weather	84.3
Hail	83.3
Tornado	82.7
Lightning	71.7
Landslide	67.7
Drought	58.7
Wildfire	39.3
Avalanche	38.7

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Hurricane

Sep 2023

Most Common Type

Hurricane

7 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Sep 15, 2023	Hurricane	HURRICANE LEE
Mar 27, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Apr 19, 2013	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING
Oct 28, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Jan 6, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Nov 1, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM
Sep 3, 2011	Hurricane	TROPICAL STORM IRENE
Aug 26, 2011	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRENE
Jun 15, 2011	Tornado	SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES
Mar 7, 2011	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Jan 5, 2009	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING
Dec 13, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
May 16, 2007	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND INLAND AND COASTAL FLOODING
Nov 10, 2005	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Feb 17, 2005	Snowstorm	RECORD AND/OR NEAR RECORD SNOW
Jan 15, 2004	Snowstorm	SNOW
Mar 11, 2003	Snowstorm	SNOW
Jan 24, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96

Showing 20 of 24 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

3,683

Total IA Distributed

$9,229,729

Repair/Replace

$387,919

Rental Assistance

$1,632,550

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4528	2	N/A	—
DR-4028	1	N/A	—
DR-4496	982	$5,417,361	—
DR-1994	2,573	$3,591,497	$557
DR-1614	122	$211,732	$2,683
DR-4484	1	$8,639	—
DR-4339	2	$500	—

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

278

Total Claims Paid

$2,719,248

Avg Claim Payout

$9,781

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$187,623,644

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

978

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1994	Tornado	180	$68,155,475
DR-4496	Biological	120	$54,342,800
DR-4051	Severe Storm(s)	173	$53,392,820
DR-4110	Severe Storm(s)	44	$1,921,725
DR-4028	Hurricane	65	$1,798,390
DR-1614	Severe Storm(s)	147	$1,589,656
DR-1959	Snow	41	$1,575,549
DR-1701	Severe Storm(s)	87	$1,490,932
DR-3201	Snow	51	$1,302,360
DR-1813	Severe Ice Storm	26	$1,091,204
DR-3175	Snow	44	$962,732

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$3,515,480

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.47

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
403.1: Stormwater Management - Culverts	6	$685,454
601.1: Generators	4	$368,616
401.1: Water and Sanitary Sewer System Protective Measures	3	$452,326
402.1: Infrastructure Protective Measures (Roads and Bridges)	2	$834,366
400.1: Utility Protective Measures (Electric, Gas, etc.)	2	$381,633

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Holyoke has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are ice storm, hurricane, strong wind. The area has had 24 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (7 declarations). 278 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $187,623,644 in public assistance recovery funding. $9,229,729 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 25 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.