Natural hazards · Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Costa Mesa comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 67 claims here since 1983. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Costa Mesa?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes57%Inland flooding43%

By hazard

What Costa Mesa faces

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

Earthquakes

57% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Costa Mesa flood?

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

67paid claims since 1983

$513Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 12 claims, $84K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Costa Mesa

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Costa MesaDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

60 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

10 households applied for aid $394 aid approved $97K to the City of Costa Mesa for repairs

Orange County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Irvinemostly inland floodingVery high

Santa Anamostly earthquakesVery high

Costa Mesamostly earthquakesVery high

Huntington Beachmostly earthquakesVery high

Newport Beachmostly earthquakesHigh

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. Costa Mesa covers 24 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Costa Mesa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Costa Mesa. 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 Costa Mesa total about $68.5M 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.