Harford County, MD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harford County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Harford County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, heat wave, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th 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. Harford County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1971, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (7), snowstorm (6), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1971.
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 | 19 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | 157 | 2 | $30K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 47.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.9 | 18 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.7 | 1 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.2 | 15 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 3 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 49.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Harford County ranks in the 8th 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 | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 5th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | Very 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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 198 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 116 in 2016–20 vs 82 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Harford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harford County, Maryland are winter weather, heat wave, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Harford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harford County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Harford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Harford County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1971.
How does Harford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, New Castle County, DE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Kent County, MD has the lowest (Very Low). Harford County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Harford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harford 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. Harford County's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.