Natural hazards · Monte Sereno

Monte Sereno, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Monte Sereno comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1998. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Monte Sereno?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Monte Sereno to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding29%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Monte Sereno faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Monte Sereno flood?

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

2paid claims since 1998

$42Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $29K
Winter storm: 1 claim, $13K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Santa Clara County.

Disasters that hit Monte Sereno

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Monte SerenoDeclared for Santa Clara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $657 aid approved

2020

Wildfires

2 households applied for aid

Santa Clara County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Monte Sereno

Monte Sereno and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Saratogamostly earthquakesVery high

Los Gatosmostly earthquakesVery high

Monte Serenomostly 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. Monte Sereno covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Monte Sereno’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Monte Sereno. 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 Monte Sereno total about $3.2M 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.