Every federal disaster in Boston since 1953

Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Suffolk County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.

Declarations: 45since 1953
Major disasters: 27the most serious kind
Since 2000: 28declarations
Most recent: 2026Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Hurricanes and tropical storms (13)Winter storms (10)Severe storms and tornadoes (8)Floods (6)Biological (COVID-19) (4)Other (3)Fires (1)

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Suffolk County's overall natural hazard risk relatively moderate, led by lightning, hurricane and inland flooding. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.

All declarations

Declared	Event	Type	FEMA number
Jun 30, 2026	Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm	Major disaster	DR-4919
Sep 15, 2023	Hurricane Lee	Emergency	EM-3599
Apr 18, 2022	Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm	Major disaster	DR-4651
Aug 22, 2021	Tropical Storm Henri	Emergency	EM-3566
Mar 27, 2020	COVID-19 Pandemic	Major disaster	DR-4496
Mar 13, 2020	COVID-19	Emergency	EM-3484
Mar 13, 2020	COVID-19	Emergency	EM-3497
Mar 13, 2020	COVID-19	Emergency	EM-3438
Jul 19, 2018	Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm	Major disaster	DR-4379
Apr 13, 2015	Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-4214
Apr 19, 2013	Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-4110
Apr 17, 2013	Explosions	Emergency	EM-3362
Dec 19, 2012	Hurricane Sandy	Major disaster	DR-4097
Oct 28, 2012	Hurricane Sandy	Emergency	EM-3350
Aug 26, 2011	Hurricane Irene	Emergency	EM-3330
Mar 7, 2011	Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm	Major disaster	DR-1959
Sep 2, 2010	Hurricane Earl	Emergency	EM-3315
May 3, 2010	Water Main Break	Emergency	EM-3312
Mar 29, 2010	Severe Storms and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1895
Dec 13, 2008	Severe Winter Storm	Emergency	EM-3296
May 25, 2006	Severe Storms and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1642
Nov 10, 2005	Severe Storms and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1614
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane Katrina Evacuation	Emergency	EM-3252
Feb 17, 2005	Record and/Or Near Record Snow	Emergency	EM-3201
Apr 21, 2004	Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1512
Jan 15, 2004	Snow	Emergency	EM-3191
Mar 11, 2003	Snow	Emergency	EM-3175
Apr 10, 2001	Severe Storms and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1364
Jun 23, 1998	Heavy Rains and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1224
Oct 25, 1996	Extreme Weather Conditons and Flooding	Major disaster	DR-1142
Oct 23, 1996	Extreme Weather Conditions and Flooding	Emergency	EM-3119
Jan 24, 1996	Blizzard of 96	Major disaster	DR-1090
Mar 16, 1993	Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall	Emergency	EM-3103
Dec 21, 1992	Winter Coastal Storm	Major disaster	DR-975
Nov 4, 1991	Coastal Storm	Major disaster	DR-920
Aug 26, 1991	Hurricane Bob	Major disaster	DR-914
Oct 28, 1985	Hurricane Gloria	Major disaster	DR-751
Feb 10, 1978	Coastal Storms, Flood, Ice & Snow	Major disaster	DR-546
Feb 7, 1978	Blizzard & Snowstorms	Emergency	EM-3059
Oct 16, 1973	Fire (City of Chelsea)	Major disaster	DR-405
Sep 28, 1972	Toxic Algae in Coastal Waters	Major disaster	DR-357
Mar 6, 1972	Severe Storms & Flooding	Major disaster	DR-325
Aug 20, 1955	Hurricane & Floods	Major disaster	DR-43
Sep 2, 1954	Hurricanes	Major disaster	DR-22
Jun 11, 1953	Tornado	Major disaster	DR-7

Frequently asked questions

How many federal disasters has Boston had?

Since 1953, the federal government has issued 45 disaster or emergency declarations covering Suffolk County, including 27 major disaster declarations. 28 of them came in 2000 or later.

What was the most recent federal disaster in Boston?

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (Major disaster, declared June 30, 2026).

What kinds of disasters hit Boston most often?

By FEMA incident type: hurricane (11), snowstorm (9), severe storm (7) and flood (6).

New to Boston? The moving checklist covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.

Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named Suffolk County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.