Natural Disasters in Williamstown, MA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

84.0

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

84.3

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

41.5

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

93.4

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Hurricane83.6Landslide82.5Strong Wind79.5

Hazard	Risk Score
Hurricane	83.6
Landslide	82.5
Strong Wind	79.5
Ice Storm	75.3
Cold Wave	72.6
Earthquake	72.1
Lightning	68.5
Avalanche	66.2
Winter Weather	58.4
Hail	52.7
Tornado	48.8
Heat Wave	34.9
Wildfire	25.2
Drought	22.2

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

Snowstorm

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
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
Mar 28, 2001	Snowstorm	SNOW
Jan 24, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96

Showing 20 of 23 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

501

Total IA Distributed

$4,299,245

Repair/Replace

$3,633,435

Rental Assistance

$335,972

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4028	363	$3,917,323	$4,076
DR-4496	28	$148,283	—
DR-4020	41	$102,846	$2,606
DR-4022	47	$99,300	$2,176
DR-1614	13	$15,666	$5,755
DR-4480	1	$9,000	—
DR-1589	5	$6,349	$1,006
DR-1486	3	$478	$604

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

388

Total Claims Paid

$3,070,907

Avg Claim Payout

$7,915

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$36,152,145

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

898

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4496	Biological	61	$20,010,338
DR-4028	Hurricane	285	$8,857,683
DR-1813	Severe Ice Storm	82	$2,404,054
DR-1614	Severe Storm(s)	191	$1,602,815
DR-1959	Snow	44	$687,685
DR-1701	Severe Storm(s)	87	$676,893
DR-3201	Snow	41	$599,424
DR-4110	Severe Storm(s)	32	$526,958
DR-4051	Severe Storm(s)	37	$404,016
DR-3175	Snow	38	$382,279

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$8,174,581

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.63

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	3	$108,000
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	3	$79,199
300.4: Vegetation Management - Non Coastal Shoreline Stabilization; 301.1: Shoreline Stabilization (Riprap, etc.); 402.1: Infrastructure Protective Measures (Roads and Bridges)	2	$308,925
403.1: Stormwater Management - Culverts; 403.2: Stormwater Management - Diversions; 403.5: Floodwater Storage and Diversion	2	$477,140
301.1: Shoreline Stabilization (Riprap, etc.)	2	$228,416

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

Williamstown has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, landslide, strong wind. The area has had 23 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is snowstorm (7 declarations). 388 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $36,152,145 in public assistance recovery funding. $4,299,245 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 15 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.