Natural hazards · Arvin

Arvin, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Arvin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1998. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Arvin?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Arvin to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding52%Earthquakes42%Heat waves5%

By hazard

What Arvin faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

42% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWildfireStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesLandslidesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Arvin flood?

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

3paid claims since 1998

$11Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $546
February California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $10K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kern County.

Disasters that hit Arvin

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ArvinDeclared for Kern County only

2023

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

3 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$67K to the City of Arvin for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

Kern County has had 37 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

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. Arvin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Arvin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Arvin. 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 Arvin total about $3.4M 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.