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Natural hazard risk in Clark County, Nevada

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Very High (score 99.5 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$812.6 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1981
12[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$9.3 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
12[4]

FEMA rates the overall natural hazard risk for Clark County, Nevada as Very High compared with other US counties, with a Risk Index score of 99.5 out of 100[5]. FEMA's National Risk Index gives the highest hazard scores within the county to heat wave, inland flooding and wildfire[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA's National Risk Index estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $812.6 million a year[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. The largest parts come from inland flooding at $362.2 million a year, heat wave at $294.7 million a year and earthquake at $124.1 million a year[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability as Relatively Moderate, with a score of 46.0[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience as Very Low, with a score of 6.5[10]. The index does not predict next year's losses[7].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
Heat WaveVery High$294.7 million[11]
Inland FloodingVery High$362.2 million[12]
WildfireRelatively High$24.5 million[13]
EarthquakeRelatively High$124.1 million[14]
HailRelatively High$4.3 million[15]
LandslideRelatively Moderate$70,000[16]
LightningRelatively High$891,000[17]
AvalancheRelatively Moderate$913,000[18]
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$804,000[19]
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$89,000[20]
Volcanic ActivityVery Low$4[21]
DroughtVery Low$1,446[22]
TornadoVery Low$51,000[23]
Cold WaveVery Low$1[24]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: coastal flooding, ice storm, tsunami[25].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate46.0[9]
Community resilienceVery Low6.5[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Clark County as Very High compared with other US counties, with a score of 99.6[12]. OpenFEMA lists 1,197 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03, and says 30.2% of homes inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area are insured[26]. OpenFEMA data show 626 NFIP claims filed for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $9.3 million in total[3]. To learn the flood zone of an address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[27].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[12] Very High, $362.2 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 1,197 of 719,687 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[26] 964, of which 291 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 626 filed, $9.3 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[27]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 12 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clark County since 1981[2]. The most recent listed is the Carpenter 1 Fire, declared 2013-07-05[28]. NOAA's tornado database records 12 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024, and none were rated F3/EF3 or stronger[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clark County, since 1981
Incident type Declarations
Fire[2] 5
Snowstorm[2] 2
Flood[2] 2
Severe Storm[2] 2
Hurricane[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
FM-5034-NV[28] Carpenter 1 Fire 2013-07-05
FM-2847-NV[28] Cathedral Fire 2010-07-01
EM-3243-NV[28] Hurricane Katrina Evacuation 2005-09-13
FM-2563-NV[28] Good Springs Fire 2005-06-24
DR-1583-NV[28] Heavy Rains And Flooding 2005-03-07

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Floods

Before

  • Check your flood risk with FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and remember that floods do not follow map lines.
  • Sign up for your community's warning system. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts alerts.
  • Buy flood insurance through the NFIP well before a disaster. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and a new policy typically takes up to 30 days to go into effect.
  • Make a household plan with evacuation routes, shelter locations and what to do in a flash flood.
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container and make password-protected digital copies.

During

  • If you are told to evacuate, leave right away and never drive around barricades.
  • Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
  • If you are trapped in a building, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, floods

Wildfires

Before

  • Sign up for community alerts and watch for air quality alerts.
  • Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan, including for school, work and other places you go often.
  • Keep a fire-resistant zone of at least 30 feet around your home, clear of leaves and debris.
  • Use fire-resistant building materials and keep a hose long enough to reach every part of your property.
  • Pick a room you can seal off from outside air and keep a portable air cleaner ready.

During

  • Leave right away when authorities tell you to evacuate.
  • If you are trapped, call 9-1-1 with your location and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • If you are not ordered to leave but there is smoke, stay in a safe indoor place or go to a community building with less smoke.

Source: Ready.gov, wildfires

Questions people ask

Is Clark County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Clark County as Very High compared with other US counties[12]. FEMA estimates inland flooding Expected Annual Loss at $362.2 million a year[8].
Is Clark County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk as Very Low compared with other US counties[23]. NOAA's tornado database records 12 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024[4].
Is Clark County at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk as Relatively High compared with other US counties, with a score of 99.1[14]. FEMA estimates earthquake Expected Annual Loss at $124.1 million a year[14].
How many disasters were declared in Clark County?
OpenFEMA lists 12 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clark County since 1981[2].
How can I check a flood zone?
Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[27]. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of a single address[27].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Clark County is $812.6 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively High, score 99.5). Of this, buildings account for $472.8 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $339.7... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 12 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Clark County since 1981 (4 major disaster, 8 emergency or fire management). By incident type: fire 5, snowstorm 2, flood 2, severe storm 2, hurricane 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and other non-natural... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 626 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Clark County, 368 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $9.3 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). Years... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 12 recorded tornadoes touched Clark County. The strongest were rated F1 (most recent of them on 1992-03-30). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2014-08-04. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Clark County is Very High, with a Risk Index score of 99.5 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Clark County are heat wave (99.9, Very High), inland flooding (99.6, Very High), wildfire (99.1, Relatively High). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Clark County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($362.2 million a year), heat wave ($294.7 million a year), earthquake ($124.1 million a year), out of $812.6 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Clark County is Relatively Moderate (score 46.0). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Clark County is Very Low (score 6.5). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Clark County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $294.7 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 11.75 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Clark County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $362.2 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 7.25 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 99.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $24.5 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0041 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 99.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $124.1 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0174 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 97.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.3 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.12 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 92.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $70,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 85.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $891,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 24.3 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), avalanche in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 85.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $913,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.07 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 28 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 66.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $804,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.3 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Clark County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 61.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $89,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 2.17 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), volcanic activity in Clark County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 36.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Clark County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 16.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1,446 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 69.87 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Clark County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 9.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $51,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.17 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Clark County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 2.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Clark County: coastal flooding, ice storm, tsunami. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  26. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 1,197 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Clark County, out of 719,687 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.2%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 964 residential structures and 291 contracts, a... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  27. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  28. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.