Natural hazards · Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pismo Beach comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1983. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pismo Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pismo Beach to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding66%Earthquakes20%Tsunamis13%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Pismo Beach faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

20% of expected damage

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

Tsunamis

13% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Pismo Beach flood?

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

8paid claims since 1983

$86Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $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

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

Insurance rates: San Luis Obispo County.

Disasters that hit Pismo Beach

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Pismo BeachDeclared for San Luis Obispo County only

2023

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

6 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

48 households applied for aid $141K aid approved $558K to the City of Pismo Beach for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$82K to the City of Pismo Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$218K to the City of Pismo Beach for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$23K to the City of Pismo Beach for repairs

2003

Earthquake

17 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $18K to the City of Pismo Beach for repairs

San Luis Obispo County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Avila Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Arroyo Grandemostly inland floodingVery high

Pismo Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Grover Beachmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Pismo Beach covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pismo Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pismo Beach. 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 Pismo Beach total about $5.1M 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.