PA Hazard general content
Overview: Flooding is Pennsylvania’s most common and damaging natural hazard.
What Drives Flooding
Impacts: Property damage, transportation disruptions, erosion, public safety risks.
How to Prepare
Mitigation Actions: Stormwater retrofits, green infrastructure, floodplain restoration, voluntary property buyouts.
Overview: Hotter, drier conditions are increasing wildfire risk across forested landscapes.
What Drives Wildfire
How to Prepare
Overview: Periods of low precipitation affect water supply, agriculture, and wildfire conditions.
Early Indicators: Low streamflow, poor soil moisture, reduced groundwater recharge.
Overview: Slope failures are common in southwestern and central Pennsylvania.
Triggers: Rainfall, freeze-thaw cycles, excavation, steep slopes.
Overview: While infrequent, Pennsylvania experiences small but measurable earthquakes.
Mitigation Actions: Secure tall furniture, reinforce structures, adopt seismic building practices.
Includes:
Overview: Ground collapse can occur due to historic underground mining.
Prepare & Prevent