Natural hazards · Pacifica

Pacifica, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pacifica comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 76 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 Pacifica?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pacifica to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding25%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Pacifica 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 98% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold 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 Pacifica flood?

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

76paid claims since 1982

$1.1Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 12 claims, $223K
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $193K

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Pacifica is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: San Mateo County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Pacifica

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PacificaDeclared for San Mateo County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

53 households applied for aid $143K aid approved $985K to the City of Pacifica for repairs

2020

Wildfires

36 households applied for aid $500 aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$1.3M to the City of Pacifica for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$700K to the City of Pacifica for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$2.2M to the City of Pacifica for repairs

San Mateo County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Pacifica

Pacifica and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South San Franciscomostly earthquakesVery high

San Brunomostly earthquakesVery high

Pacificamostly earthquakesVery high

Daly Citymostly 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. Pacifica covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pacifica’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pacifica. 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 Pacifica total about $26.7M 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.