Montgomery County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Montgomery County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Montgomery County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, strong wind, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 201 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (21st 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. Montgomery County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), flood (7), severe storm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 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 | 37.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.2 | 120 | 3 | $60.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.3 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.6 | 4 | 1 | $5.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.7 | 60 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 81 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | 5 | 0 | $12K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 61.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 68.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Montgomery County ranks in the 21st 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 | 21st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 10th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 45th | 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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 201 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 106 in 2016–20 vs 95 in 2021–25 (-10% — relatively stable).
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 Montgomery County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania are winter weather, strong wind, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Montgomery County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Montgomery County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Montgomery County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Montgomery County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does Montgomery County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Philadelphia County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Chester County, PA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Montgomery County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Montgomery County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Montgomery 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. Montgomery County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.