Storms, floods and disasters in Short Hills
Short Hills isn’t graded for hazard risk: Short Hills is a Census area inside a town, graded with the town. Flood insurance has paid 112 claims here since 1978.
What Short Hills 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
Earthquakes
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 Short Hills flood? Yes: 112 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Short Hills, from FEMA’s records.
- Hurricane Irene31 claims · $1.9M
- Hurricane Ida28 claims · $2.6M
- Hurricane Floyd16 claims · $601K
Short Hills isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Essex County.The storms Short Hills remembers
None of the 24 disasters declared for Essex County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Short Hills itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 201135 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storm, declared for Essex County
- 202128 flood claims paidThe year of Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared for Essex County
- 199918 flood claims paidThe year of Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations, declared for Essex County
Essex County has had 24 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 Short Hills after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Short Hills archive →Short Hills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston Township | B+less damage than 66% | river and rain flooding | 189 |
| Summit | B−less damage than 53% | river and rain flooding | 61 |
| Millburn Township | C+more damage than 64% | river and rain flooding | 303 |
| Springfield Township | Cmore damage than 73% | river and rain flooding | 337 |
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 Short Hills 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.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
- Know how to shut off the gas.
- 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 Short Hills
Does Short Hills flood?
Flood insurance has paid 112 claims in Short Hills since 1978, $5.6M in all. The most claims came from Hurricane Irene (31).
Is Short Hills 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 Essex County, 50% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.9% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Short Hills?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Short Hills’ 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 Short Hills?
By flood claims, Hurricane Irene: 31 paid, $1.9M.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Short Hills.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Short Hills’ 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.