Berks County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Berks County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Berks County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, strong wind, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 44% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Berks County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (6), hurricane (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 38 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 94.8 | 129 | 2 | $332K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 90.6 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 92.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.7 | 61 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 76.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.6 | 6 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 32.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Berks County ranks in the 67th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 68th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 67th | Moderate |
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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 210 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 135 in 2016–20 vs 75 in 2021–25 (-44% — 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 Berks County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Berks County, Pennsylvania are winter weather, strong wind, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Berks County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Berks County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Berks County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Berks County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Berks County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montgomery County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Lebanon County, PA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Berks County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Berks County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Berks 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. Berks County's composite score of 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.