Natural hazards · Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pennsylvania comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Pennsylvania?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pennsylvania to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding32%Drought22%Strong wind14%Cold waves12%Tornadoes9%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Pennsylvania faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

22% of expected damage

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Pennsylvania flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Pennsylvania.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Pennsylvania isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Mason County.

Disasters that hit Pennsylvania

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Pennsylvania itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Township of Pennsylvania.

Brought FEMA money into PennsylvaniaDeclared for Mason County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Township of Pennsylvania for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$2K to the Township of Pennsylvania for repairs

Mason County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Manitomostly inland floodingModerate

Pennsylvaniamostly inland floodingModerate

Salt Creekmostly inland floodingModerate

Shermanmostly inland floodingModerate

Mason Citymostly inland floodingModerate

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Pennsylvania covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pennsylvania’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Pennsylvania. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Pennsylvania total about $2.2M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.