Natural hazards · Clearlake

Clearlake, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clearlake comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 66 claims here since 1986. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clearlake?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding62%Earthquakes35%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Clearlake faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

35% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Clearlake flood?

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

66paid claims since 1986

$785Kpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 31 claims, $272K

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. Clearlake isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lake County.

Disasters that hit Clearlake

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClearlakeDeclared for Lake County only

2021

Wildfires

$101K to the City of Clearlake for repairs

2020

Wildfires

239 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2018

Wildfires and High Winds

21 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires

324 households applied for aid $696K aid approved $77K to the City of Clearlake for repairs

2015

Valley Fire and Butte Fire

26 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

15 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

Lake County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires 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. Clearlake covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clearlake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Clearlake. 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 Clearlake total about $7.5M 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.