Venango County, Pennsylvania Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · PA
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 56th
Venango County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 55.6, 56th national percentile), driven primarily by lightning and riverine flood exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $16M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Venango County at low composite risk, with a National Risk Index score of 55.6 out of 100 — placing it in the 56th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in lightning (electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties) at High risk — $692K in expected annual loss and about 37.79 events per year; riverine flood (rivers and streams overflowing their banks after heavy rain or snowmelt) at Medium risk — $13M in expected annual loss and about 2.32 events per year; and strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Medium risk — $904K in expected annual loss and about 2.07 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $16M in expected annual loss for a population of 50K.
Beyond physical exposure, Venango County has a high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a very high community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). Higher vulnerability is partly offset by strong community resilience and recovery capacity.
History supports the rating: Venango County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including 4 for flood events and 3 for severe storm events. The most recent was Covid-19 Pandemic (biological), declared in March 2020.
Among 67 Pennsylvania counties, Venango County ranks #49 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Lightning | High | 37.79 / yr | $692K |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 2.32 / yr | $13M |
| Strong Wind | Medium | 2.07 / yr | $904K |
| Landslide | Low | 0.45 / yr | $4K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $106K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $631 |
| Winter Weather | Low | 17.47 / yr | $48K |
| Tornado | Low | 0.25 / yr | $564K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $55K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.49 / yr | $21K |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.65 / yr | $48K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 0.63 / yr | $30K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $4K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.68 / yr | $64K |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Drought | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Venango County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1972, most recently Covid-19 Pandemic in March 2020. Most frequent causes: Flood (4), Severe Storm (3), Hurricane (3).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| October 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| October 2012 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| September 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| September 2004 | Hurricane | Tropical Depression Ivan |
| September 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated with Tropical Depression Frances |
| August 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| July 1996 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| January 1996 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Venango County?
Venango County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 55.6 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 56th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Venango County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Lightning (High, $692K EAL), Riverine Flood (Medium, $13M EAL), Strong Wind (Medium, $904K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Venango County compare to other Pennsylvania counties?
Venango County ranks #49 of 67 Pennsylvania counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Venango County had?
FEMA records 15 federal disaster declarations for Venango County since 1972, most often 4 for flood events and 3 for severe storm events. The most recent was Covid-19 Pandemic, declared in March 2020.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Venango County's $16M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.