Natural hazards · Portage

Portage, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Portage comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Portage?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Portage to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Portage faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 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 Portage flood?

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

10paid claims since 1978

$22Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cambria County.

Disasters that hit Portage

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PortageDeclared for Cambria County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid $5K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

2 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

Cambria County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

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. Portage covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Portage’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Portage. 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 Portage total about $650K 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.