Natural hazards · Northampton

Northampton, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northampton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Northampton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Northampton to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Heat waves6%Cold waves6%Tornadoes5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Northampton faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Northampton flood?

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

18paid claims since 1979

$257Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 2 claims, $22K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $56K
Hurricane Isaias: 2 claims, $19K

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

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

Disasters that hit Northampton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthamptonDeclared for Northampton County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

44 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

3 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

14 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $753 aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

10 households applied for aid

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

20 households applied for aid $66K aid approved

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

Around Northampton

Northampton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

North Catasauquamostly inland floodingHigh

Northamptonmostly inland floodingModerate

Whitehallmostly inland floodingModerate

Allenmostly inland floodingModerate

Coplaymostly 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. Northampton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Northampton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Northampton. 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 Northampton total about $3.0M 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.