Natural hazards · Moscow

Moscow, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Moscow comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 2004. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Moscow?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Moscow to be higher than in 15% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Cold waves11%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Moscow faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% 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 Moscow flood?

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

14paid claims since 2004

$81Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 1 claim, $11K
December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $2K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $5K

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. Moscow 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 Moscow

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MoscowDeclared for Lackawanna County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

33 households applied for aid $68K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

52 households applied for aid $109K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

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

Around Moscow

Moscow and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Spring Brookmostly inland floodingLow

Moscowmostly inland floodingVery low

Roaring Brookmostly inland floodingVery low

Madisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Covingtonmostly 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. Moscow is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Moscow’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Moscow. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.