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Natural hazard risk in Washington County, Ohio

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

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively Low (score 64.4 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$22.3 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1968
18[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$18.3 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
7[4]

FEMA rates the overall natural hazard risk for Washington County, Ohio as Relatively Low compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA hazard scores in the county are landslide, inland flooding and ice storm[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 (version 1.20, December 2025) estimates $22.3 million a year in Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in the county[1]. This is an estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. FEMA's Expected Annual Loss values are largest for inland flooding ($18.7 million a year), heat wave ($660,000 a year) and tornado ($566,000 a year)[8]. FEMA rates social vulnerability as Relatively Moderate[9] and community resilience as Relatively Moderate[10]. Social vulnerability is how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards, and community resilience is a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[9][10]. FEMA says the index is not meant to predict damage in the next year[7].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
LandslideRelatively Moderate$43,000[11]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$18.7 million[12]
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$238,000[13]
Heat WaveRelatively Low$660,000[14]
LightningRelatively Moderate$361,000[15]
DroughtRelatively Low$293,000[16]
HurricaneVery Low$142,000[17]
HailRelatively Low$320,000[18]
Strong WindRelatively Low$528,000[19]
EarthquakeVery Low$218,000[20]
TornadoRelatively Low$566,000[21]
Winter WeatherVery Low$20,000[22]
WildfireVery Low$8,564[23]
Cold WaveVery Low$160,000[24]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[25].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

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

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate49.2[9]
Community resilienceRelatively Moderate52.0[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[12]. OpenFEMA lists 278 residential flood insurance contracts in force out of 23,518 residential structures, as of 2026-08-03[26]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 10.6% of homes are insured[26]. OpenFEMA NFIP claims data lists 1,302 claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $18.3 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] Relatively Moderate, $18.7 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 278 of 23,518 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[26] 2,387, of which 254 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 1,302 filed, $18.3 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 18 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Washington County since 1968[2]. The most recent is DR-4424-OH for severe storms, flooding and landslides, declared 2019-04-08[28]. NOAA's tornado database records 7 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024, and the most recent was on 2021-07-29[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Washington County, since 1968
Incident type Declarations
Severe Storm[2] 10
Flood[2] 4
Snowstorm[2] 2
Mud/Landslide[2] 1
Hurricane[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4424-OH[28] Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides 2019-04-08
DR-4360-OH[28] Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides 2018-04-17
DR-4077-OH[28] Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds 2012-08-20
EM-3346-OH[28] Severe Storms 2012-06-30
DR-4002-OH[28] Severe Storms And Flooding 2011-07-13

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.

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

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Questions people ask

Is Washington County, Ohio at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties, and its Expected Annual Loss estimate for inland flooding is $18.7 million a year[12]. FEMA's index does not predict next year's losses[7].
Does Washington County, Ohio get tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 7 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024, and the strongest were rated F2[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively Low compared with other US counties[21].
Is Washington County, Ohio at risk of earthquakes or wildfire?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Very Low[20] and wildfire risk Very Low[23] compared with other US counties.
How many disasters have been declared in Washington County, Ohio?
OpenFEMA lists 18 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1968[2].
How do I check the flood zone of an address in Washington County?
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 Washington County is $22.3 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Low, score 63.8). Of this, buildings account for $19.7 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $2.0... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 18 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Washington County since 1968 (14 major disaster, 4 emergency or fire management). By incident type: severe storm 10, flood 4, snowstorm 2, mud/landslide 1, hurricane 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 1,302 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Washington County, 1,026 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $18.3 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 7 recorded tornadoes touched Washington County. The strongest were rated F2 (most recent of them on 1971-07-24). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2021-07-29. 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 Washington County is Relatively Low, with a Risk Index score of 64.4 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 Washington County are landslide (88.2, Relatively Moderate), inland flooding (80.5, Relatively Moderate), ice storm (72.9, Relatively Moderate). HazardFacts sorted... 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 Washington County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($18.7 million a year), heat wave ($660,000 a year), tornado ($566,000 a year), out of $22.3 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 Washington County is Relatively Moderate (score 49.2). 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 Washington County is Relatively Moderate (score 52.0). 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), landslide in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 88.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $43,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 80.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $18.7 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 4.04 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of... FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 72.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $238,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.54 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68... FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 64.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $660,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.05 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 63.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $361,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 46.34 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24... FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 61.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $293,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 4.03 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Washington County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 57.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $142,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.02 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the... FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 57.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $320,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 2.59 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 51.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $528,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.1 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), earthquake in Washington County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 47.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $218,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.001 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Washington County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 33.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $566,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.13 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Washington County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 23.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $20,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 8.47 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Washington County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 22.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $8,564 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0001 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Washington County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 16.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $160,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.68 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 Washington County: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  26. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 278 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Washington County, out of 23,518 residential structures, a penetration rate of 1.2%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 2,387 residential structures and 254 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.