Natural hazards · Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hermosa Beach comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 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 Hermosa Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hermosa Beach to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes65%Inland flooding34%

By hazard

What Hermosa Beach faces

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

Earthquakes

65% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Hermosa Beach flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$11Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $7K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Hermosa Beach

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Hermosa BeachDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

29 households applied for aid $81K aid approved

2023

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

$29K to the City of Hermosa Beach for repairs

2020

Wildfires

6 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$5K to the City of Hermosa Beach for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

1 household applied for aid

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Redondo Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Manhattan Beachmostly earthquakesVery high

Hermosa Beachmostly 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. Hermosa Beach covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hermosa Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hermosa Beach. 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 Hermosa Beach 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.