Armstrong County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Armstrong County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Armstrong County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, inland flooding, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 21% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Armstrong County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1972, covering 6 disaster types including flood (5), hurricane (3), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004 | Hurricane | Tropical Depression Ivan |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances |
| 1996 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1996 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1972.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.1 | 37 | 0 | $295K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 30.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 34.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 36.4 | 32 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 9.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 52.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Armstrong County ranks in the 13th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 18th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 2nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 70 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 39 in 2016–20 vs 31 in 2021–25 (-21% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Armstrong County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania are landslide, inland flooding, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Armstrong County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Armstrong County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Armstrong County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Armstrong County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Armstrong County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Allegheny County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Clarion County, PA has the lowest (Very Low). Armstrong County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Armstrong County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Armstrong County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Armstrong County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.