Natural hazards · Luzerne

Luzerne, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Luzerne comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Luzerne?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Luzerne to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves9%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Luzerne faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% 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 Luzerne flood?

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

27paid claims since 1979

$730Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 4 claims, $51K
Tropical Storm Lee: 2 claims, $515K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $6K

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

Insurance rates: Luzerne County.

Disasters that hit Luzerne

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LuzerneDeclared for Luzerne County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

2 households applied for aid

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

19 households applied for aid $45K aid approved

Luzerne County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Luzerne

Luzerne and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Luzernemostly inland floodingHigh

Pringlemostly inland floodingVery low

Courtdalemostly inland floodingVery low

Kingstonmostly 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. Luzerne covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Luzerne’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Luzerne. 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 Luzerne total about $813K 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.