Natural hazards · South Pasadena

South Pasadena, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in South Pasadena comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1998. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is South Pasadena?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in South Pasadena to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes64%Inland flooding35%

By hazard

What South Pasadena faces

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

Earthquakes

64% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 South Pasadena flood?

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

8paid claims since 1998

$123Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 3 claims, $5K

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. South Pasadena isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit South Pasadena

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into South PasadenaDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

645 households applied for aid $102K aid approved $87K to the City of South Pasadena for repairs

2020

Wildfires

3 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

36 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $11K to the City of South Pasadena for repairs

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around South Pasadena

South Pasadena and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Los Angelesmostly earthquakesVery high

San Marinomostly earthquakesVery high

Pasadenamostly earthquakesVery high

South Pasadenamostly earthquakesVery high

Alhambramostly earthquakesVery high

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. South Pasadena covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to South Pasadena’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of South Pasadena. 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 South Pasadena total about $19.9M 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.