Natural hazards · Williamsburg

Williamsburg, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williamsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 50 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 Williamsburg?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williamsburg to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Williamsburg 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 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Williamsburg flood?

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

50paid claims since 1978

$635Kpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 20 claims, $417K

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. Williamsburg isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Blair County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Williamsburg

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilliamsburgDeclared for Blair County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

100 households applied for aid $350K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

22 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

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

Around Williamsburg

Williamsburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Williamsburgmostly inland floodingHigh

Woodburymostly inland floodingHigh

Catharinemostly inland floodingHigh

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. Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Williamsburg. 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.