Adams County, Pennsylvania: hazard risk
FEMA rates Adams County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 67.5 of 100, higher than 67% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 528 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.1 | $3.4M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | $17M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | $1.1M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.5 | $141K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 72.6 | $977K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.6 | $882K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 56.5 | $301K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 46.2 | $1.1M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 46.2 | $74K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.5 | $363K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 44.2 | $34K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 39.4 | $643 |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.7 | $137K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 281 | 1 | $11M | 16th of 67 | 423rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 75 | 0 | $11K | 37th of 67 | 1029th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 52 | 2 | $181K | 30th of 67 | 810th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 52 | 0 | $20K | 25th of 67 | 1954th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 0 | $92K | 31st of 67 | 1127th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 0 | $11M | 24th of 67 | 1706th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 11 | 0 | – | 16th of 67 | 1602nd of 3,063 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 14th of 67 | 965th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 0 | – | 60th of 67 | 2005th of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | – | 21st of 67 | 924th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $51K | 39th of 67 | 1926th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Adams County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.