Natural hazards · Belmont

Belmont, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Belmont comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1980. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Belmont?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Belmont to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding28%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Belmont faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Belmont flood?

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

12paid claims since 1980

$171Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $9K

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. Belmont 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 Mateo County.

Disasters that hit Belmont

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BelmontDeclared for San Mateo County only

2023

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

$20K to the City of Belmont for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

131 households applied for aid $726K aid approved $440K to the City of Belmont for repairs

2020

Wildfires

39 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$29K to the City of Belmont for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$28K to the City of Belmont for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$277K to the City of Belmont for repairs

San Mateo County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Belmont

Belmont and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Foster Citymostly inland floodingVery high

San Mateomostly earthquakesVery high

Redwood Citymostly earthquakesVery high

San Carlosmostly earthquakesVery high

Belmontmostly earthquakesVery high

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. Belmont covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Belmont’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Belmont. 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 Belmont total about $21.7M 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.