Natural hazards · Montecito

Montecito, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Montecito comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 56 claims here since 1995. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Montecito?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Montecito to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding53%Earthquakes46%

By hazard

What Montecito faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

46% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce 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 Montecito flood?

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

56paid claims since 1995

$6.6Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19952026

Biggest named events

Mid-Winter California Flooding: 30 claims, $5.2M
California Atmospheric River: 10 claims, $388K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Montecito 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 Barbara County.

Disasters that hit Montecito

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MontecitoDeclared for Santa Barbara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

17 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

162 households applied for aid $258K aid approved

2008

Wildfires

13 households applied for aid $64K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $925 aid approved

Santa Barbara County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Montecito

Montecito and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Summerlandmostly landslidesVery high

Toro Canyonmostly landslidesVery high

Santa Barbaramostly earthquakesVery high

Montecitomostly inland floodingVery 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. Montecito covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Montecito’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Montecito. 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 Montecito total about $6.9M 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.