Natural hazards · Cecil

Cecil, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cecil comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 40 claims here since 1980. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cecil?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cecil to be higher than in 13% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding85%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Cecil faces

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

Inland flooding

85% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Cecil flood?

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

40paid claims since 1980

$1.5Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 17 claims, $429K
Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $178K

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. Cecil isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Cecil

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CecilDeclared for Washington County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

21 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

Washington County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Cecil

Cecil and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

McDonaldmostly inland floodingModerate

Canonsburgmostly inland floodingLow

Robinsonmostly inland floodingLow

Chartiersmostly inland floodingLow

Mount Pleasantmostly inland floodingVery low

South Fayettemostly inland floodingVery low

Cecilmostly inland floodingVery low

North Strabanemostly inland floodingVery low

Petersmostly 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. Cecil covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cecil’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Cecil. 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 Cecil total about $2.7M 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.