Natural hazards · White Haven

White Haven, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in White Haven comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1996. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is White Haven?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in White Haven to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves10%Everything else19%

By hazard

What White Haven 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

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% 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 White Haven flood?

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

3paid claims since 1996

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Luzerne County.

Disasters that hit White Haven

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into White HavenDeclared for Luzerne County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

14 households applied for aid $46K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

13 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

Luzerne County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around White Haven

White Haven and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

White Havenmostly inland floodingModerate

Dennisonmostly inland floodingModerate

East Sidemostly inland floodingVery low

Kiddermostly inland floodingVery low

Fostermostly 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. White Haven is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to White Haven’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of White Haven. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.