Himmel's Church Covered Bridge · Photo: Eqqman at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Storms, floods and disasters in Washington Township
Washington Township isn’t graded for hazard risk: Washington Township has 798 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 48 claims here since 1981.
What Washington Township faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
River and rain flooding
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
Does Washington Township flood? Sometimes: 48 flood claims since 1981
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Washington Township, from FEMA’s records.
- Tropical Storm Lee18 claims · $616K
- Tropical Storm Ivan13 claims · $130K
Washington Township isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Northumberland County.The storms Washington Township remembers
None of the 15 disasters declared for Northumberland County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Washington Township itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 201118 flood claims paidThe year of Tropical Storm Lee, declared for Northumberland County
- 200413 flood claims paidThe year of Tropical Depression Ivan, declared for Northumberland County
- 19969 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storms and Flooding, declared for Northumberland County
Northumberland County has had 15 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Washington Township after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Washington Township archive →Washington Township and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Mahanoy Township | — | 769 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Jackson Township | — | 825 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Jordan Township | — | 791 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Little Mahanoy Township | — | 288 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Washington Township faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Washington Township
Does Washington Township flood?
Flood insurance has paid 48 claims in Washington Township since 1981, $868K in all. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Lee (18).
Is Washington Township in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Northumberland County, 15% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.0% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Washington Township?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Washington Township’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
What was the biggest storm in Washington Township?
By flood claims, Tropical Storm Lee: 18 paid, $616K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Washington Township.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Washington Township’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.