Natural hazards · Forest

Forest, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Forest comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Forest?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Forest to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Tornadoes7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Forest 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

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Forest flood?

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

1paid claims since 1978

$3Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Susquehanna County.

Disasters that hit Forest

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ForestDeclared for Susquehanna County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

8 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

Susquehanna County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Forest

Forest and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Vandlingmostly inland floodingVery high

Forest Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Clintonmostly inland floodingModerate

Cliffordmostly 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. Forest covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Forest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Forest. 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 Forest total about $646K 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.