Natural hazards · San Diego

San Diego, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in San Diego comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 589 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 San Diego?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in San Diego to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes49%Inland flooding45%Everything else6%

By hazard

What San Diego faces

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

Earthquakes

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

Not a risk here

Ice 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 Diego flood?

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

589paid claims since 1978

$26.7Mpaid to owners

71homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

San Diego Flooding: 109 claims, $13.1M
Pineapple Express - Southern: 46 claims, $620K
Winter storm: 18 claims, $277K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (10) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: San Diego County.

Disasters that hit San Diego

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into San DiegoDeclared for San Diego County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

4,666 households applied for aid $15.6M aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$537K to the City of San Diego for repairs

2020

Wildfires

584 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

22 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$883K to the City of San Diego for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$3.7M to the City of San Diego for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

2,702 households applied for aid $650K aid approved $10.4M to the City of San Diego for repairs

2005

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

$2.8M to the City of San Diego for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

244 households applied for aid $180K aid approved $2.5M to the City of San Diego for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

935 households applied for aid $829K aid approved $2.8M to the City of San Diego for repairs

San Diego County has had 44 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around San Diego

San Diego and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Santeemostly inland floodingVery high

Powaymostly wildfiresVery high

Imperial Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Coronadomostly earthquakesVery high

Escondidomostly inland floodingHigh

National Citymostly earthquakesHigh

Del Marmostly inland floodingHigh

La Presamostly inland floodingHigh

Del Diosmostly inland floodingHigh

San Diegomostly earthquakesHigh

Chula Vistamostly inland floodingHigh

Lemon Grovemostly inland floodingModerate

La Mesamostly inland floodingModerate

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 Diego covers 323 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to San Diego’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of San Diego. 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 Diego total about $484M 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.