Natural hazards · McSherrystown

McSherrystown, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in McSherrystown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is McSherrystown?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding58%Hurricanes12%Earthquakes9%Tornadoes5%Strong wind5%Heat waves5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What McSherrystown faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 12% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 McSherrystown flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in McSherrystown.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Adams County.

Disasters that hit McSherrystown

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into McSherrystownDeclared for Adams County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Adams County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

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. McSherrystown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to McSherrystown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of McSherrystown. 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 McSherrystown total about $865K 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.

McSherrystown, PA natural hazards

How exposed is McSherrystown?

What McSherrystown faces

Inland flooding

Hurricanes

Earthquakes

Tornadoes

Strong wind

Heat waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does McSherrystown flood?

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

Tropical Storm Lee

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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