Storms, floods and disasters in Hewitt
Hewitt isn’t graded for hazard risk: Hewitt is a Census area inside a town, graded with the town. Flood insurance has paid 78 claims here since 1979.
What Hewitt 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
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 Hewitt flood? Sometimes: 78 flood claims since 1979
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Hewitt, from FEMA’s records.
- Hurricane Irene22 claims · $819K
- Hurricane Floyd14 claims · $265K
- The Late winter storms5 claims · $85K
Hewitt isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Passaic County.The storms Hewitt remembers
None of the 21 disasters declared for Passaic County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Hewitt itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 201127 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storm, declared for Passaic County
- 199914 flood claims paidThe year of Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations, declared for Passaic County
- 198411 flood claims paidThe year of Coastal Storms and Flooding, declared for Passaic County
Passaic County has had 21 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; the 2001 World Trade Center declarations.
Old photos of Hewitt after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Hewitt archive →Get ready for what Hewitt 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.
- 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 Hewitt
Does Hewitt flood?
Flood insurance has paid 78 claims in Hewitt since 1979, $1.6M in all. The most claims came from Hurricane Irene (22).
Is Hewitt 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 Passaic County, 48% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 2.2% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Hewitt?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Hewitt’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 Hewitt?
By flood claims, Hurricane Irene: 22 paid, $819K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Hewitt.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Hewitt’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.