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Natural hazard risk in Whatcom County, Washington

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

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively Moderate (score 90.9 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$111.5 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1971
24[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$53.1 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
1[4]

FEMA rates the overall natural hazard risk for Whatcom County as Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are avalanche, earthquake and landslide[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 $111.5 million a year[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. By expected loss, the largest hazards are earthquake ($50.9 million a year), inland flooding ($40.4 million a year) and avalanche ($6.9 million a year)[8]. FEMA rates social vulnerability as Relatively Low[9]. That rating describes how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards[9]. FEMA rates community resilience as Relatively High, which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10]. FEMA says the index does not predict next year's damage[7].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
AvalancheVery High$6.9 million[11]
EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$50.9 million[12]
LandslideRelatively Moderate$559,000[13]
Ice StormVery High$2.7 million[14]
Volcanic ActivityRelatively Moderate$128,000[15]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$40.4 million[16]
Cold WaveRelatively Moderate$6.1 million[17]
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$276,000[18]
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$1.7 million[19]
Coastal FloodingRelatively Moderate$794,000[20]
LightningRelatively Moderate$421,000[21]
WildfireVery Low$110,000[22]
TsunamiVery Low$255,000[23]
DroughtVery Low$503[24]
TornadoVery Low$127,000[25]
Strong WindVery Low$12,000[26]
HailVery Low$3,226[27]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: hurricane[28].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

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

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Low21.5[9]
Community resilienceRelatively High78.6[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk as Relatively Moderate and coastal flooding risk as Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[16][20]. OpenFEMA data from 2026-08-03 shows that 29.1% of homes inside the Special Flood Hazard Area are insured through the NFIP[29]. Across the county, the NFIP residential penetration rate is 1.9%[29]. OpenFEMA lists 1,211 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $53.1 million in total[3]. To learn about the flood zone for an address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[30].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[16] Relatively Moderate, $40.4 million expected loss a year
Coastal Flooding, FEMA risk rating[20] Relatively Moderate, $794,000 expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[29] 1,497 of 79,381 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[29] 4,011, of which 1,169 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 1,211 filed, $53.1 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[30]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 24 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Whatcom County since 1971[2]. Flood accounts for 13 of them and severe storm for 6[2]. The most recent is DR-4906-WA, declared 2026-04-07 for severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides[31]. NOAA's tornado database records 1 tornado touching the county from 1950 to 2024, rated F0 and seen on 2004-04-27[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Whatcom County, since 1971
Incident type Declarations
Flood[2] 13
Severe Storm[2] 6
Fire[2] 2
Coastal Storm[2] 1
Volcanic Eruption[2] 1
Earthquake[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4906-WA[31] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2026-04-07
EM-3629-WA[31] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2025-12-12
DR-4635-WA[31] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2022-01-05
DR-4539-WA[31] Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2020-04-23
DR-4418-WA[31] Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, Tornado 2019-03-04

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.

Earthquakes

Before

  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with your family and coworkers.
  • Sign up for earthquake alerts that can warn you before shaking starts.
  • Make a plan with an out-of-state contact and a place to meet if you get separated.
  • Anchor heavy items such as bookcases, refrigerators and water heaters, and keep heavy things on low shelves.
  • Consider earthquake insurance. Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage.

During

  • Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  • Indoors, stay where you are and avoid doorways. Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and power lines.
  • If you are driving, pull over, stop and set the parking brake.

Source: Ready.gov, earthquakes

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

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

Questions people ask

Is Whatcom County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk as Relatively Moderate for Whatcom County compared with other US counties[16]. OpenFEMA lists 13 flood declarations that include the county since 1971[2].
Is Whatcom County at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk as Relatively Moderate, with a score of 97.8 out of 100 compared with other US counties[12]. FEMA lists earthquake as the largest hazard by Expected Annual Loss at $50.9 million a year[8].
Does Whatcom County have tornadoes or hurricanes?
NOAA's tornado database records 1 tornado touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Very Low compared with other US counties[25]. FEMA rates hurricane as Not Applicable here[28].
How many disasters have been declared in Whatcom County?
OpenFEMA lists 24 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Whatcom County since 1971[2].
How do I check a flood zone?
Flood zones apply to specific properties, so look up an address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[30].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Whatcom County is $111.5 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Moderate, score 91.5). Of this, buildings account for $77.6 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 24 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Whatcom County since 1971 (21 major disaster, 3 emergency or fire management). By incident type: flood 13, severe storm 6, fire 2, coastal storm 1, volcanic eruption 1, earthquake 1. Biological (such as... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 1,211 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Whatcom County, 1,023 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $53.1 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid).... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 1 recorded tornadoes touched Whatcom County. The strongest were rated F0 (most recent of them on 2004-04-27). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2004-04-27. 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 Whatcom County is Relatively Moderate, with a Risk Index score of 90.9 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 Whatcom County are avalanche (98.2, Very High), earthquake (97.8, Relatively Moderate), landslide (97.7, Relatively Moderate). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published... 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 Whatcom County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are earthquake ($50.9 million a year), inland flooding ($40.4 million a year), avalanche ($6.9 million a year), out of $111.5 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 Whatcom County is Relatively Low (score 21.5). 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 Whatcom County is Relatively High (score 78.6). 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), avalanche in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 98.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $6.9 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.5 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 28 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 97.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $50.9 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0226 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 97.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $559,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 97.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.7 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.53 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), volcanic activity in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 93.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $128,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 88.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $40.4 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.18 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of... FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 85.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $6.1 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.14 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 82.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $276,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 37.28 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 78.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.7 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 2.41 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of... FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), coastal flooding in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 63.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $794,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 3.627 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 62.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $421,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 8.14 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 61.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $110,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tsunami in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 23.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $255,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 14.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $503 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 5.95 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 13.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $127,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.02 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  26. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 2.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $12,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  27. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Whatcom County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 2.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3,226 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  28. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Whatcom County: hurricane. 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
  29. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 1,497 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Whatcom County, out of 79,381 residential structures, a penetration rate of 1.9%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 4,011 residential structures and 1,169 contracts,... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  30. 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
  31. 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.