Natural hazards · Del Mar

Del Mar, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Del Mar comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 109 claims here since 1980. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Del Mar?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Del Mar to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding61%Earthquakes35%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Del Mar 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 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

35% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

Ice 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 Del Mar flood?

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

109paid claims since 1980

$1.4Mpaid to owners

17homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 16 claims, $595K
Winter storm: 8 claims, $97K
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $36K

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. Del Mar 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 Diego County.

Disasters that hit Del Mar

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Del MarDeclared for San Diego County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$19K to the City of Del Mar for repairs

2020

Wildfires

3 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$7K to the City of Del Mar for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

18 households applied for aid $550 aid approved $14K to the City of Del Mar for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

2 households applied for aid

San Diego County has had 44 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Del Mar

Del Mar and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Del Marmostly inland floodingHigh

San Diegomostly earthquakesHigh

Solana Beachmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Del Mar covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Del Mar’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Del Mar. 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 Del Mar total about $4.0M 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.