Natural hazards · Clarks Summit

Clarks Summit, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clarks Summit comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 32 claims here since 1984. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clarks Summit?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clarks Summit to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Cold waves13%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Clarks Summit faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Clarks Summit flood?

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

32paid claims since 1984

$461Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Gloria: 2 claims, $13K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $45K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $17K

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

Insurance rates: Lackawanna County.

Disasters that hit Clarks Summit

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Clarks SummitDeclared for Lackawanna County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

23 households applied for aid $56K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

20 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

67 households applied for aid $139K aid approved

Lackawanna County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Clarks Summit

Clarks Summit and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Abingtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Waverlymostly inland floodingVery low

Clarks Greenmostly inland floodingVery low

Clarks Summitmostly 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. Clarks Summit covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clarks Summit’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Clarks Summit. 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 Clarks Summit total about $1.1M 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.