Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: hazard risk
FEMA rates Westmoreland County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 87.8 of 100, higher than 87% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind. Its storm record holds 2,039 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.6 | $2.2M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 93.8 | $66M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.2 | $2.2M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.3 | $72K |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | $1.4M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.4 | $143K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.4 | $162K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.8 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 69.0 | $580K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 59.9 | $622K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55.7 | $1.6M |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 54.0 | $64K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 44.0 | $369 |
| Drought | Very Low | 25.1 | $13K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.9 | $164K |
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 | 1,038 | 3 | $14M | 15th of 67 | 406th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 345 | 1 | $39M | 13th of 67 | 343rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 294 | 0 | $1.2M | 9th of 67 | 1196th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 185 | 1 | $237K | 40th of 67 | 1079th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 67 | 0 | $2.3M | 21st of 67 | 799th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 50 | 1 | $944M | 8th of 67 | 1197th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 21 | 0 | – | 32nd of 67 | 1309th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 18 | 0 | – | 16th of 67 | 958th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 13 | 3 | $158K | 15th of 67 | 668th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 7 | 0 | – | 47th of 67 | 2166th of 3,063 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 6th of 67 | 344th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Westmoreland County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.