Natural hazards · Merced

Merced, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Merced comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 147 claims here since 1982. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Merced?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Merced to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding60%Earthquakes32%Heat waves6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Merced faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold 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 Merced flood?

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

147paid claims since 1982

$6.6Mpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 61 claims, $4.3M
Pineapple Express - Southern: 36 claims, $1.2M

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

Insurance rates: Merced County.

Disasters that hit Merced

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MercedDeclared for Merced County only

2023

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

$395K to the City of Merced for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2,185 households applied for aid $3.0M aid approved $2.4M to the City of Merced for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$107K to the City of Merced for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$54K to the City of Merced for repairs

Merced County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods 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. Merced covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Merced’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Merced. 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 Merced total about $21.9M 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.