Natural hazards · Sonoma

Sonoma, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sonoma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 42 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Sonoma?

93
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sonoma to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding64%Earthquakes35%
By hazard

What Sonoma faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

35% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis
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 Sonoma flood?

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

42paid claims since 1978
$713Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $28K

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. Sonoma isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Sonoma County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Sonoma

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SonomaDeclared for Sonoma County only
2020

Wildfires

590 households applied for aid $78K aid approved
2017

Wildfires

1,681 households applied for aid $132K aid approved $64K to the City of Sonoma for repairs
2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

155 households applied for aid $228K aid approved $18K to the City of Sonoma for repairs
Sonoma County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
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. Sonoma covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sonoma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sonoma. 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 Sonoma total about $10.1M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01