Climate Risk Summary

Buffalo, NY Risk Profile

The primary drivers of climate-related financial risk in Buffalo, NY are Inland Flooding, Cold Wave, and Tornado. This area also faces an unusually high intensity for Winter Weather compared to national averages.

City-Wide Aggregation

These scores represent the population-weighted average across all residential blocks in Buffalo.

Primary Risks

Inland Flooding

$65,547,220

Expected Annual Loss for Buffalo

55.2Score

Very High compared to US average

Buffalo
Minimal Estimated LossMax Estimated Loss

Cold Wave

$16,587,202

Expected Annual Loss for Buffalo

84.8Score

Relatively High compared to US average

Buffalo
Minimal Estimated LossMax Estimated Loss

Tornado

$3,410,258

Expected Annual Loss for Buffalo

45.4Score

Relatively Moderate compared to US average

Buffalo
Minimal Estimated LossMax Estimated Loss

City Boundary

Legend
Very Low
Low
Moderate
High
Very High
Extreme

Financial Risk Inventory

MAJOR DRIVER
Inland Flooding
$65,547,220
Score: 55.2
MAJOR DRIVER
Cold Wave
$16,587,202
Score: 84.8
MAJOR DRIVER
Tornado
$3,410,258
Score: 45.4
Heat Wave
$2,011,133
Score: 40.8
Earthquake
$781,343
Score: 27.6
UNUSUALLY HIGH
Winter Weather
$686,961
Score: 80.5
Ice Storm
$368,689
Score: 51.8
Strong Wind
$346,564
Score: 23.4
Lightning
$285,220
Score: 24.6
Hurricane
$142,835
Score: 39.3
Hail
$28,301
Score: 11.4
Coastal Flooding
$11,802
Score: 24.0
Wildfire
$1,859
Score: 20.6
Drought
$145
Score: 2.1
Landslide
$2
Score: 12.6

Recommended investments to protect your property value and reduce insurance liability based on your local risk profile.

💧Medium Investment

Inland Flooding Mitigation

Install a smart sump pump with battery backup and extend downspouts 10ft from foundation.

Risk Score: 55.2
🏠Low Investment

Cold Wave Mitigation

General property maintenance and insurance review recommended.

Risk Score: 84.8
🏠Low Investment

Winter Weather Mitigation

General property maintenance and insurance review recommended.

Risk Score: 80.5
❄️Medium Investment

Ice Storm Mitigation

Install a 10kWh backup battery system to keep pipes from freezing during grid failure.

Risk Score: 51.8

Sources and Methodology

Spatial Aggregation

Our "Atlas" risk scores are derived using a population-weighted spatial join. Because US Zip Codes and Census Tracts do not share perfectly aligned boundaries, a simple geographic average would be misleading. We utilize US Census Block Group population statistics to identify where residents actually live within a Zip Code. We then intersect these points with FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) hazard data to calculate a weighted exposure score.

Financial Projections (EAL)

Expected Annual Loss (EAL) estimates the average economic impact of natural hazards in dollars per year. This calculation incorporates three components: Exposure (the value of structures and agriculture), Annualized Frequency (historical probability), and Historic Loss Ratio (vulnerability of the area).

Primary Data Sources

  • FEMA National Risk IndexHazard frequency and loss data (v1.20.0)
  • U.S. Census BureauTIGER/Line 2025 Shapefiles & Decennial Population

Nearby Cities

BlasdellCheektowagaEggertsvilleKenmoreLackawanna

Zip Codes in Buffalo

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