Natural hazards · Waynesboro

Waynesboro, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waynesboro comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waynesboro?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waynesboro to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Hurricanes12%Strong wind7%Earthquakes7%Heat waves5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Waynesboro faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Waynesboro flood?

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

2paid claims since 1979

$36Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Waynesboro

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaynesboroDeclared for Franklin County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

59 households applied for aid $83K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

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

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. Waynesboro covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waynesboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Waynesboro. 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 Waynesboro total about $1.4M 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.