Photo: Canadian2006 · CC BY-SA 3.0Storms, floods and disasters in West Elizabeth
West Elizabeth isn’t graded for hazard risk: West Elizabeth has 344 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 59 claims here since 1978.
What West Elizabeth 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 West Elizabeth flood? Sometimes: 59 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in West Elizabeth, from FEMA’s records.
- Tropical Storm Ivan2 claims · $131K
West Elizabeth isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Allegheny County.1 federal disaster brought FEMA money to West Elizabeth
Disasters that paid out in West Elizabeth itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Borough of West Elizabeth), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2004Tropical Depression Ivan3 households applied for aid$14K aid approved2 flood claims paid for it, $131K
Allegheny County has had 15 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of West Elizabeth after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the West Elizabeth archive →West Elizabeth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Hills | B+less damage than 72% | river and rain flooding | 58 |
| Elizabeth | Dmore damage than 93% | river and rain flooding | 48 |
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 West Elizabeth 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 West Elizabeth
Does West Elizabeth flood?
Flood insurance has paid 59 claims in West Elizabeth since 1978, $860K in all. 5 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Ivan (2).
Is West Elizabeth 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 Allegheny County, 28% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.4% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in West Elizabeth?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for West Elizabeth’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 West Elizabeth?
By FEMA money that reached West Elizabeth, Tropical Depression Ivan (2004): 3 households applied for aid, $14K approved. By flood claims, Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 paid, $131K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in West Elizabeth.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where West Elizabeth’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.