Severe Weather Survey Shows Hurricanes Most Common in Pa.

One in three Americans have survived a FEMA disaster and 86% have been caught off guard by severe storms, according to a recent report by Insuranks.

The report analyzed FEMA disaster declarations for local severe weather hot spots and the most common type of severe weather in each state.

It found that one in six Americans are now contemplating moving due to the severe weather they currently experience. However, only 10% of Pennsylvanians have considered a move due to severe weather.

That’s probably because Pennsylvania ranks No. 39 in the number of FEMA-declared disasters, with only eight declared disasters, compared to first-place Louisiana with the highest number of disasters at 30, according to Allison Hadley, media relations with Digital Third Coast.

The most common severe weather found in Pennsylvania is hurricanes. “Despite being a land-locked state, hurricanes were the most common severe weather in Pennsylvania,” she said. “The Northeast is unexpectedly high in hurricane disaster declarations, perhaps a sign of otherwise mostly mild weather.”

“Forty-four percent of Pennsylvanians have experienced property damage due to severe storms, compared to 48% across the country,” Hadley noted.

“We absolutely advise homeowners to read their homeowner’s insurance carefully to understand what their insurance does and doesn’t cover in case of a severe storm or other weather conditions cause damages,” Hadley said.

The best ways to prepare for severe weather:

• Make an emergency plan.
• Have an emergency kit.
• Watch the weather.
• Review alerts on your phone.
• Protect home and property.
• Watch the news.

“Fifty-six percent of Pennsylvanians say they’re prepared to navigate severe weather,” she added. “People should think through evacuation routes and make sure they have flashlights, extra batteries, water purifiers, money, prescriptions, some non-perishable foods and from our experience in 2020 – a supply of toilet paper.”