Storms, floods and disasters in North Westport
North Westport isn’t graded for hazard risk: North Westport is a Census area inside a town, graded with the town. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1978.
What North Westport faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
River and rain flooding
Hurricanes
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
Does North Westport flood? Rarely: 8 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in North Westport, from FEMA’s records.
- The March 2010 nor’easter5 claims · $228K
- Hurricane Bob1 claim · $16K
North Westport isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Bristol County.The storms North Westport remembers
None of the 22 disasters declared for Bristol County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching North Westport itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 20105 flood claims paidThe year of Hurricane Earl, declared for Bristol County
- 19781 flood claims paidThe year of Coastal Storms, Flood, Ice and Snow, declared for Bristol County
- 19911 flood claims paidThe year of Hurricane Bob, declared for Bristol County
Bristol County has had 22 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then hurricanes and tropical storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of North Westport after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the North Westport archive →North Westport and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth | A+less damage than 96% | river and rain flooding | 94 |
| Westport | A−less damage than 84% | river and rain flooding | 97 |
| Fall River | A−less damage than 80% | river and rain flooding | 10 |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what North Westport faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
- Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
- Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in North Westport
Does North Westport flood?
Flood insurance has paid 8 claims in North Westport since 1978, $252K in all. The most claims came from March 2010 Nor'easter (5).
Is North Westport in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Bristol County, 56% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.9% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in North Westport?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for North Westport’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
What was the biggest storm in North Westport?
By flood claims, March 2010 Nor'easter: 5 paid, $228K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in North Westport.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where North Westport’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.