Natural Disaster Risk in Lanham

Natural Hazard Profile: Lanham, Maryland

Lanham is a city of approximately 42,612 residents in Prince George's County, along the mid-Atlantic coast. The area experiences warm summers, mild winters, and coastal storm exposure, with tropical storm and nor'easter impacts shaping the pattern of natural hazards that residents encounter. Understanding the local risk profile is essential for anyone living in, moving to, or owning property in Lanham.

According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Lanham carries an overall risk score of 8.3/10, placing it in the very high category. Frequent lightning strikes from an active thunderstorm environment represent the top natural hazard risk, posing safety concerns and causing fire ignitions and power outages. The area also faces notable exposure to winter and heat.

Lanham's risk score, considerably above the 6.5/10 state average and well above the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Prince George's County, the highest-scoring are lightning, winter, and heat. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

Given Lanham's very high risk classification, residents should treat disaster preparedness as a year-round priority. This means maintaining updated homeowners and flood insurance, building a 72-hour emergency kit, knowing the evacuation routes for the primary hazards, and signing up for local emergency alert systems.