Natural hazards · Catasauqua

Catasauqua, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Catasauqua comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Catasauqua?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Catasauqua to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding61%Cold waves20%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Catasauqua faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Catasauqua flood?

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

9paid claims since 1978

$223Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 2 claims, $21K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $6K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $5K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lehigh County.

Disasters that hit Catasauqua

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CatasauquaDeclared for Lehigh County only

2011

Hurricane Irene

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

3 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

Lehigh County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Catasauqua

Catasauqua and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Catasauquamostly inland floodingHigh

Whitehallmostly inland floodingModerate

Hanovermostly inland floodingVery low

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. Catasauqua covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Catasauqua’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Catasauqua. 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 Catasauqua total about $2.6M 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.