Natural hazards · Atascadero

Atascadero, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Atascadero comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1982. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Atascadero?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding61%Earthquakes36%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Atascadero faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

36% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% 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 Atascadero flood?

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

26paid claims since 1982

$915Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 9 claims, $666K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 3 claims, $27K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Atascadero 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 Atascadero

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AtascaderoDeclared for San Luis Obispo County only

2023

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

84 households applied for aid $117K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

466 households applied for aid $2.4M aid approved $892K to the City of Atascadero for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$31K to the City of Atascadero for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$22K to the City of Atascadero for repairs

2003

Earthquake

893 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved $20.8M to the City of Atascadero for repairs

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

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. Atascadero covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Atascadero’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Atascadero. 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 Atascadero total about $12.5M 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.