Natural hazards · Big Run

Big Run, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Big Run comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 claims here since 1996. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Big Run?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Big Run to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Lightning7%Cold waves6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Big Run faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lightning

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Big Run flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Big Run, from FEMA’s records.

43paid claims since 1996

$543Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 20 claims, $159K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Big Run

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Big Run itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of Big Run.

Brought FEMA money into Big RunDeclared for Jefferson County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

10 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

Jefferson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Big Run

Big Run and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Big Runmostly inland floodingModerate

Gaskillmostly inland floodingModerate

Hendersonmostly 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. Big Run is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.