Natural hazards · Morro Bay

Morro Bay, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Morro Bay comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 29 claims here since 1982. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Morro Bay?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Morro Bay to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding57%Earthquakes24%Tsunamis16%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Morro Bay faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Tsunamis

16% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Morro Bay flood?

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

29paid claims since 1982

$924Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 9 claims, $636K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 4 claims, $12K

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

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

Insurance rates: San Luis Obispo County.

Disasters that hit Morro Bay

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Morro BayDeclared for San Luis Obispo County only

2023

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

29 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $527K to the City of Morro Bay for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

220 households applied for aid $846K aid approved $894K to the City of Morro Bay for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$99K to the City of Morro Bay for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$7K to the City of Morro Bay for repairs

2003

Earthquake

137 households applied for aid $183K aid approved $214K to the City of Morro Bay for repairs

San Luis Obispo County has had 24 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. Morro Bay covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Morro Bay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Morro Bay. 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 Morro Bay total about $4.3M 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.