Natural hazards · Ferndale

Ferndale, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ferndale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ferndale?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ferndale to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Cold waves6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Ferndale faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ferndale flood?

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

10paid claims since 1978

$222Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

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

Insurance rates: Cambria County.

Disasters that hit Ferndale

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FerndaleDeclared for Cambria County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid

Cambria County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Ferndale

Ferndale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Johnstownmostly inland floodingModerate

Ferndalemostly inland floodingLow

Stonycreekmostly inland floodingLow

Upper Yodermostly 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. Ferndale covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ferndale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Ferndale. 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 Ferndale total about $380K 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.