Natural hazards · Plum

Plum, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Plum comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Plum?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Plum to be higher than in 6% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves16%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Plum faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Plum flood?

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

44paid claims since 1979

$2.6Mpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 4 claims, $230K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Allegheny County.

Disasters that hit Plum

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PlumDeclared for Allegheny County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

3 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

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

Around Plum

Plum and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cheswickmostly inland floodingHigh

Oakmontmostly inland floodingHigh

Springdalemostly inland floodingModerate

Lower Burrellmostly inland floodingLow

Harmarmostly inland floodingLow

Springdalemostly inland floodingLow

Murrysvillemostly inland floodingVery low

Upper Burrellmostly inland floodingVery low

Plummostly inland floodingVery low

Penn Hillsmostly inland floodingVery low

Monroevillemostly 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. Plum covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Plum’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Plum. 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 Plum total about $4.3M 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.