Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Philadelphia County, PA

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
42101
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2031-06-03. Plan: City of Philadelphia Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110755), approved 2026-06-04.

Since the plan was approved on 2026-06-04: no new hazard declaration and 17 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($266,057,136 a year), Heat Wave ($256,419,434) and Cold Wave ($57,040,490).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2031-06-03
Plan:
City of Philadelphia Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110755)
Approved:
2026-06-04
Days to expiry:
1,707

Also approved under plan 108236 (City of Philadelphia Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2027-05-18). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last.

Plan clock from the consolidated city-county government plan (Philadelphia city). FEMA plan data has no separate county-level row for this county.

What changed since your last plan (approved 2026-06-04)

New federal declarations:
none
Storm Events records since approval:
17 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 4, SRL 35 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 142
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Philadelphia cityCityApproved, expires 2031-06-03City of Philadelphia Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110755)2026-06-042031-06-031,707Also approved under plan 108236 (City of Philadelphia Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2027-05-18). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingVery HighRelatively High$262,808,562$565$3,248,009$266,057,136246
2Heat WaveVery HighVery High$1,316$10$256,418,109$256,419,434137
3Cold WaveVery HighVery High$12,115under $1$57,028,375$57,040,49033Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
4EarthquakeRelatively HighRelatively High$24,823,117n/a$16,806,461$41,629,578Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
5TornadoRelatively HighRelatively High$6,605,994$5$14,496,551$21,102,5506
6HurricaneRelatively HighRelatively High$11,522,453$1,537$496,730$12,020,7193
7Strong WindRelatively HighRelatively High$640,350$1$2,860,443$3,500,793427Includes 41 High Wind and 104 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
8Coastal FloodingRelatively HighRelatively High$2,618,897n/a$182,935$2,801,83358
9HailRelatively HighRelatively Moderate$2,003,804$144$51,189$2,055,13837
10Winter WeatherVery HighVery High$192,166under $1$1,743,016$1,935,182207Includes 5 Sleet records (outside NRI's Winter Weather definition).
11LightningRelatively HighRelatively High$12,252n/a$1,488,047$1,500,29811
12Ice StormRelatively HighRelatively High$411,084n/a$577,669$988,7532
13WildfireVery LowVery Low$7,330under $1$1,474$8,8051
14LandslideRelatively LowVery Low$7,158n/a$9$7,1680No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
15DroughtVery LowVery Lown/a$4,120n/a$4,12046
TsunamiInsufficient DataInsufficient Datan/an/an/an/a0No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide and tsunami records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Coastal Flooding and Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 153 (Relatively Moderate, 88.0); tract 191 (Relatively Moderate, 84.3); tract 330 (Relatively Moderate, 83.8)
Hurricanetract 369.02 (Relatively Moderate, 87.2); tract 153 (Relatively Moderate, 84.4); tract 4.04 (Relatively Low, 78.0)
Landslidetract 386 (Relatively Low, 93.0); tract 220 (Relatively Low, 91.6); tract 216 (Relatively Low, 89.7)
Tornadotract 369.02 (Relatively High, 81.5); tract 153 (Relatively High, 77.4); tract 355 (Relatively Moderate, 69.4)
Tsunamino tract has a National Risk Index rating for this hazard
Wildfiretract 352 (Relatively Low, 73.4); tract 122.04 (Relatively Low, 72.9); tract 362.01 (Very Low, 64.4)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 153 is Census Tract 153). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Coastal Flood, Storm Surge/Tidenone in data (flood depth: FIRM)58 records, 1996 to 2024 (58 zone-level)Coastal Flood, 2011-04-16, $100,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone PAZ071Countywide (zone-level records).Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill32 records, 1996 to 2022 (32 zone-level)1 day to 16 days (median 1 day); 27 with a recorded value16 consecutive days, 2003-01-14 to 2003-01-29, 3 direct deaths, zone-levelCold/Wind Chill, 2015-02-20, $250,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2015 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).Cold/Wind Chill records from May to September (a frost night, not a cold wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage1 record, 2007 (1 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)46 records, 1997 to 2010 (46 zone-level)1 day to 385 days (median 11 days); 18 with a recorded value385 days (about 12.6 months), 2001-11-06 to 2002-11-25, a run of 15 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)45 records, 1978 to 20230.75 in to 1.75 in (median 0.88 in); 45 with a recorded value1.75 in hail, 2009-03-29; same size also recorded on 1978-08-11, 1994-06-29, 1995-05-29, 2006-08-25Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Philadelphia city (18 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)137 records, 1996 to 2026 (137 zone-level)1 day to 10 days (median 2 days); 111 with a recorded value10 consecutive days, 2002-08-11 to 2002-08-20, 8 direct deaths, zone-levelExcessive Heat, 2011-06-08, $25,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).Heat records from November to March (unseasonable warmth, not a heat wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson3 records, 2008 to 2020 (3 zone-level)Strongest recorded: Tropical Storm record, 2011-08-27 to 2011-08-28, $10,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone PAZ071Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)2 records, 2011 to 2014 (2 zone-level)No damage reported in 2 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)246 records, 1996 to 2026 (20 zone-level)Flash Flood, 2021-09-01, $60,000,000 property; $0 crops (2021 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Philadelphia city (34 records). Zone-level records (20) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)11 records, 1999 to 2014Lightning, 2009-08-02, $100,000 property; $0 crops (2009 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Philadelphia city (5 records).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)145 records, 1996 to 2026 (145 zone-level)29 kt (33 mph) to 61 kt (70 mph) (median 42 kt (48 mph)); 116 with a recorded value61 kt (70 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2012-10-29; NWS zone PAZ071High Wind, 2003-09-18, $3,020,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2003 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)339 records, 1969 to 202643 kt (49 mph) to 87 kt (100 mph) (median 51 kt (59 mph)); 299 with a recorded value87 kt (100 mph), measurement type not recorded, Thunderstorm Wind, 1992-08-11Thunderstorm Wind, 1994-06-19, $5,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1994 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Philadelphia city (78 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)12 records, 1958 to 2021F/EF0 to F/EF3 (median between F/EF1 and F/EF2); 12 with a recorded valueEF3 tornado, 2021-07-29, 0.62 mi within this county, 530 yd wide, property not reported; $0 crops (2021 dollars)Tornado, 1991-08-03, $2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1991 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Philadelphia city (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Tsunaminone (count and damage only)0
Wildfireacres burned (local data)1 record, 2002 (1 zone-level)No damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)207 records, 1996 to 2026 (207 zone-level)Winter Storm, 2003-02-16, $4,000,000 property; crops not reported (2003 dollars), 2 direct deaths, 1 direct injury (reported for the zone); NWS zone PAZ071Countywide (zone-level records).

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow, lightning and tsunami.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 25 declarations covering 18 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsNotes
2021-09-102021-08-31DR-4618-PAMajor disasterRemnants of Hurricane IdaHurricane$6,369,013.81
2020-03-302020-01-20DR-4506-PAMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$207,580,025.47
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3441-PAEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4506
2016-03-232016-01-22DR-4267-PAMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormWinter Weather$7,727,794.43
2014-02-062014-02-04EM-3367-PAEmergencySevere Winter StormIce Stormno Public Assistance recorded
2013-01-102012-10-26DR-4099-PAMajor disasterHurricane SandyHurricane$2,233,706.80
2012-10-292012-10-26EM-3356-PAEmergencyHurricane SandyHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4099
2011-09-122011-09-03DR-4030-PAMajor disasterTropical Storm LeeInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Hurricane$141,597.24FEMA's declaration record does not list Public Assistance, but FEMA's PA project summaries show obligations for this county
2011-09-082011-09-03EM-3340-PAEmergencyRemnants of Tropical Storm LeeInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Hurricane$301,818.34same incident as DR-4030
2011-09-032011-08-26DR-4025-PAMajor disasterHurricane IreneHurricane$4,775,537.27
2011-08-292011-08-26EM-3339-PAEmergencyHurricane IreneHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4025
2010-04-162010-02-05DR-1898-PAMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms and SnowstormsWinter Weather$7,476,703.74
2005-09-102005-08-29EM-3235-PAEmergencyHurricane KatrinaHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not counted$3,120,197.10
2004-09-192004-09-17DR-1557-PAMajor disasterTropical Depression IvanHurricanePA not declared for this county
2004-09-192004-09-08DR-1555-PAMajor disasterSevere Storms and Flooding Associated with Tropical Depression FrancesHurricane; Inland Flooding: designated for Hazard Mitigation only (no Public or Individual Assistance for this county); not countedPA not declared for this county
2004-08-062004-07-27DR-1538-PAMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
2003-03-142003-02-14EM-3180-PAEmergencySnowWinter Weather$4,832,498.94
1999-09-181999-09-16DR-1294-PAMajor disasterHurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsHurricane$1,511,337.51
1996-01-211996-01-19DR-1093-PAMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
1996-01-131996-01-06DR-1085-PAMajor disasterBlizzard of 96Winter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1994-03-101994-01-04DR-1015-PAMajor disasterSevere Winter StormsWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1993-03-161993-03-13EM-3105-PAEmergencySevere Snowfall & Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1972-06-231972-06-23DR-340-PAMajor disasterTropical Storm AgnesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Hurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
1971-09-181971-09-18DR-312-PAMajor disasterFloodsInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1965-08-181965-08-18DR-206-PAMajor disasterWater ShortageDroughtno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
2003-08-232003-07-21DR-1485-PAMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornado
1959-01-231959-01-23DR-89-PAMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1956-08-091956-08-09DR-61-PAMajor disasterStormHazard not mapped (severe storm title names no single hazard); not counted
1956-05-211956-05-21DR-58-PAMajor disasterSevere StormHazard not mapped (severe storm title names no single hazard); not counted
1956-03-151956-03-15DR-51-PAMajor disasterFloodInland Flooding
1955-08-201955-08-20DR-40-PAMajor disasterFloods & RainsInland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 1 row, $4,317,276.81

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-1383-PA2001-06-21Tropical Storm AllisonSoutheastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia County)$4,317,276.81

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Coastal Flooding580010001996 to 2026-06-30
Cold Wave33001001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record.
Drought46000101996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail45006001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave1371513001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane3000701996 to 2026-06-30
Ice Storm2000101996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding24661337501996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning11000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind484101765001955 to 2026-06-30Includes 41 High Wind and 104 Strong Wind records.
Tornado12000001950 to 2026-06-30
Tsunami0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Wildfire1000001996 to 2026-06-30
Winter Weather2070724601996 to 2026-06-30Includes 5 Sleet records.

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationWhy listed
2021-09-01Flash Flood$60,000,000 property; $0 crops (2021 dollars)0, 0WAYNE JCT to ROXBOROUGHB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2021-07-29TornadoEF3, 0.62 mi within this county, 530 yd wideproperty not reported; $0 crops (2021 dollars)0, 0BYBERRYB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
2012-10-29High Wind61 kt (70 mph) measured gust$400,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2012 dollars)0, 0NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2011-08-27Tropical Storm$10,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression
2011-07-21Excessive Heat$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)22, 48NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2011-04-16Coastal Flood$100,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Coastal Flood, Storm Surge/Tide
2009-03-29Hail1.75 in$0 property; $0 crops (2009 dollars)0, 0TORRESDALEB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2003-01-14Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported3, 0NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2002-08-11Heatdamage not reported8, 0NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
1999-07-04Heatdamage not reported58, 124NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
1997-07-12Heatdamage not reported23, 50NWS zone PAZ071 (PHILADELPHIA), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
1992-08-11Thunderstorm Wind87 kt (100 mph), measurement type not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (1,285 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

FEMA's declaration data list no tribal or special-area declarations for this state.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Coastal Flooding3.69events per year at a location (modeled)about 3.7 per year at a given location in the countyHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-fDescriptor from NRI: the rate at a location is 1 or more a year, so the county rate is at least that.
Cold Wave0.791event-days per yearabout 0.791 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 13 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (43.3%)152005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought5.76event-days per yearabout 5.76 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 10 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (33.3%)1612000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00162annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.162%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail2.51events per yearabout 2.51 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)95.4 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave11.1event-days per yearabout 11.1 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 27 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (90%)1252005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.092events per yearabout 1 in 11 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)161851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm1.44event-days per yearabout 1.44 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 2 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (6.67%)971946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding5.82event-days per yearabout 5.82 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 30 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (100%)1631996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.0578events per year (modeled)about 1 in 17 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning35.7days per year with a strikeabout 35.7 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind7.04events per yearabout 7.04 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)2681986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.073events per yearabout 1 in 14 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Tsunamiannual probability at the most exposed location (used in place of a county value)Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Wildfire0.0000915annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.00915%PossibleStorm Events records in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Winter Weather10.5event-days per yearabout 10.5 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 29 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (96.7%)2002005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202515300.5
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20250300
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025260308.67
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20251300.0333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20257300.233
TornadoEF0-11996 to 20253300.1
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20253300.1
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Coastal Flooding35 of 40869.785.798.8Relatively High 9, Relatively Moderate 7, Relatively Low 13, Very Low 6, No Rating 373
Cold Wave408 of 40815.579.594.6Relatively High 230, Relatively Moderate 153, Relatively Low 5, Very Low 20
Drought18 of 40866.972.383.6Relatively Low 1, Very Low 17, No Rating 390
Earthquake408 of 4082.075.488.0Relatively Moderate 145, Relatively Low 242, Very Low 21
Hail408 of 4081.145.884.8Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 353, Very Low 53
Heat Wave408 of 4081.498.199.9Very High 324, Relatively High 62, Relatively Moderate 2, Very Low 20
Hurricane408 of 40822.162.587.2Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 393, Very Low 13
Ice Storm408 of 4080.136.178.3Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 235, Very Low 171
Inland Flooding408 of 4080.253.899.4Very High 9, Relatively High 71, Relatively Moderate 159, Relatively Low 136, Very Low 33
Landslide363 of 4088.647.293.0Relatively Low 16, Very Low 347, No Rating 45
Lightning408 of 4080.125.650.6Relatively Moderate 5, Relatively Low 273, Very Low 130
Strong Wind408 of 4080.337.668.6Relatively Moderate 20, Relatively Low 357, Very Low 31
Tornado408 of 4081.049.881.5Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 126, Relatively Low 264, Very Low 16
Tsunami0 of 408Insufficient Data 408
Wildfire73 of 40818.528.173.4Relatively Low 2, Very Low 71, No Rating 335
Winter Weather408 of 40810.969.589.2Relatively High 63, Relatively Moderate 310, Relatively Low 23, Very Low 12

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Philadelphia cityCityApproved, expires 2031-06-03FMA RL 4, SRL 35; any 133$133,215,869.44136 total; 0 since its planAlso approved under plan 108236 (City of Philadelphia Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2027-05-18). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last. Includes $110,446,459 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4506-PA, EM-3235-PA).

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2026-06-04county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Coastal Flooding$12,325,731,508n/a28,116$2,618,897n/a$182,9350.0212%
Cold Wave$291,673,614,404$421,1211,602,305$12,115under $1$57,028,375under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$340,906n/an/a$4,120n/a1.21% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$516,179,828,672n/a1,603,797$24,823,117n/a$16,806,4610.00481%
Hail$291,673,614,404$421,1211,602,305$2,003,804$144$51,1890.000687%
Heat Wave$291,673,614,404$421,1211,602,305$1,316$10$256,418,109under 0.0001%
Hurricane$291,583,235,335$421,1211,601,564$11,522,453$1,537$496,7300.00395%
Ice Storm$291,206,091,966n/a1,599,816$411,084n/a$577,6690.000141%
Inland Flooding$291,554,040,317$11,65910,788$262,808,562$565$3,248,009n/a (see note)$85,000NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$2,267,428,590n/a10,067$7,158n/a$90.000316%
Lightning$291,673,614,404n/a1,602,305$12,252n/a$1,488,047under 0.0001%
Strong Wind$291,673,614,404$421,1211,602,305$640,350$1$2,860,4430.00022%$0
Tornado$291,673,614,404$421,1211,602,305$6,605,994$5$14,496,5510.00226%
Tsunamin/an/an/an/an/an/aNRI publishes no building exposure for this county
Wildfire$1,296,906,165$45,4098,352$7,330under $1$1,4740.000565%
Winter Weather$291,673,614,404$421,1211,602,305$192,166under $1$1,743,016under 0.0001%

Totals since 2026-06-04 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 16 county-coded records, 7 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $85,000; 1 zone-level records, 0 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: no counted declaration since the plan.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population1,602,305
Building value (total, not at risk)$291,673,614,404
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$421,121
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Very High
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$311,672,980
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$355,399,018
Social vulnerability ratingVery High
Community resilience ratingRelatively Moderate
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)4Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)35
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition141Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition34

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total43514134142069
of which: Philadelphia city43513234133069
of which: Unknown (community ID Unknown in FEMA data)0090900
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0010100

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Philadelphia city42075743513234133069

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential120961997049
2 to 4 unit residential0191904
other residential021021008
non-residential31226122608
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 1 property is FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 138 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Philadelphia County, PA: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 42101). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/pa/42101/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: contact@hazardplain.org