Natural hazards · Wind Gap

Wind Gap, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wind Gap comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1981. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wind Gap?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wind Gap to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding54%Heat waves11%Cold waves10%Hurricanes7%Tornadoes7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Wind Gap faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 19 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Wind Gap flood?

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

2paid claims since 1981

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $6K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

Disasters that hit Wind Gap

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Wind GapDeclared for Northampton County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

15 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

14 households applied for aid $56K aid approved

Northampton County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Wind Gap

Wind Gap and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Plainfieldmostly inland floodingVery low

Wind Gapmostly 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. Wind Gap covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wind Gap’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Wind Gap. 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 Wind Gap total about $449K 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.