Natural hazards · San Clemente

San Clemente, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in San Clemente comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 57 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is San Clemente?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in San Clemente to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding54%Earthquakes35%Wildfire9%Everything else2%

By hazard

What San Clemente faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

35% of expected damage

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

Wildfire

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

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 San Clemente flood?

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

57paid claims since 1978

$633Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 19 claims, $191K
February California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $14K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit San Clemente

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into San ClementeDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

40 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$46K to the City of San Clemente for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$1.1M to the City of San Clemente for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

12 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

15 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $95K to the City of San Clemente for repairs

Orange County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around San Clemente

San Clemente and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Rancho Mission Viejomostly wildfiresVery high

San Juan Capistranomostly inland floodingVery high

Dana Pointmostly inland floodingVery high

San Clementemostly 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. San Clemente covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to San Clemente’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of San Clemente. 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 San Clemente total about $28.9M 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.