Natural hazards · Arroyo Grande

Arroyo Grande, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Arroyo Grande comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 25 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Arroyo Grande?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Arroyo Grande to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding72%Earthquakes25%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Arroyo Grande faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Arroyo Grande flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Arroyo Grande, from FEMA’s records.

25paid claims since 1978

$794Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 6 claims, $382K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Arroyo Grande isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: San Luis Obispo County.

Disasters that hit Arroyo Grande

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Arroyo Grande itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Arroyo Grande.

Brought FEMA money into Arroyo GrandeDeclared for San Luis Obispo County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

26 households applied for aid $74K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

168 households applied for aid $698K aid approved $304K to the City of Arroyo Grande for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$81K to the City of Arroyo Grande for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$28K to the City of Arroyo Grande for repairs

2003

Earthquake

73 households applied for aid $142K aid approved $17K to the City of Arroyo Grande for repairs

San Luis Obispo County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Arroyo Grande

Arroyo Grande and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Arroyo Grandemostly inland floodingVery high

Pismo Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Oceanomostly inland floodingVery high

Grover Beachmostly inland floodingHigh

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Arroyo Grande covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Arroyo Grande’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Arroyo Grande. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Arroyo Grande total about $10.0M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.