Natural hazards · Sonora

Sonora, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sonora comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1986. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sonora?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sonora to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and wildfires.

Inland flooding63%Wildfire23%Heat waves10%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Sonora faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Wildfire

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Sonora flood?

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

6paid claims since 1986

$119Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $38K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Tuolumne County.

Disasters that hit Sonora

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SonoraDeclared for Tuolumne County only

2023

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

629 households applied for aid $2.1M aid approved $53K to the City of Sonora for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$19K to the City of Sonora for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$50K to the City of Sonora for repairs

Tuolumne County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Sonora

Sonora and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jamestownmostly wildfiresVery high

East Sonoramostly wildfiresHigh

Sonoramostly 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. Sonora covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sonora’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sonora. 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 Sonora total about $1.9M 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.