Natural hazards · Olyphant

Olyphant, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Olyphant comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 68 claims here since 1983. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Olyphant?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Olyphant to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Cold waves5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Olyphant faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% 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 Olyphant flood?

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

68paid claims since 1983

$451Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Gloria: 13 claims, $49K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 3 claims, $7K

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. Olyphant 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 Olyphant

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OlyphantDeclared for Lackawanna County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

12 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

22 households applied for aid $40K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

40 households applied for aid $78K aid approved

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

Around Olyphant

Olyphant and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Olyphantmostly inland floodingHigh

Blakelymostly inland floodingHigh

Dickson Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Jessupmostly inland floodingModerate

Throopmostly inland floodingLow

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. Olyphant covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Olyphant’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Olyphant. 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 Olyphant total about $2.9M 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.