Natural hazards · Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Morgan Hill comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 51 claims here since 1980. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Morgan Hill?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Morgan Hill to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes63%Inland flooding35%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Morgan Hill faces

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

Earthquakes

63% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Morgan Hill flood?

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

51paid claims since 1980

$663Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 4 claims, $43K
California Atmospheric River: 3 claims, $60K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Morgan Hill is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Santa Clara County.

Disasters that hit Morgan Hill

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Morgan HillDeclared for Santa Clara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

23 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $365K to the City of Morgan Hill for repairs

2020

Wildfires

28 households applied for aid $201K to the City of Morgan Hill for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$172K to the City of Morgan Hill for repairs

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

Around Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

San Josemostly earthquakesVery high

San Martinmostly earthquakesVery high

Morgan Hillmostly 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. Morgan Hill covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Morgan Hill’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Morgan Hill. 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 Morgan Hill total about $24.3M 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.