Natural hazards · Pasadena

Pasadena, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pasadena comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pasadena?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes68%Inland flooding28%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Pasadena faces

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

Earthquakes

68% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Pasadena flood?

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

31paid claims since 1978

$216Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $9K
California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $940

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

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

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Pasadena

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PasadenaDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

15,616 households applied for aid $17.2M aid approved $567K to the City of Pasadena for repairs

2023

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

$229K to the City of Pasadena for repairs

2020

Wildfires

51 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

5 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$212K to the City of Pasadena for repairs

2008

Wildfires

8 households applied for aid $690 aid approved

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

3 households applied for aid

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows

$1.1M to the City of Pasadena for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

480 households applied for aid $377K aid approved $710K to the City of Pasadena for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

36 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Pasadena

Pasadena and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Los Angelesmostly earthquakesVery high

San Marinomostly earthquakesVery high

San Pasqualmostly earthquakesVery high

Sierra Madremostly earthquakesVery high

Glendalemostly earthquakesVery high

Altadenamostly earthquakesVery high

Pasadenamostly earthquakesVery high

La Cañada Flintridgemostly earthquakesVery high

East Pasadenamostly earthquakesVery high

South Pasadenamostly 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. Pasadena covers 34 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pasadena’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pasadena. 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 Pasadena total about $148M 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.