Natural hazards · Lewiston

Lewiston, ID natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lewiston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1984. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lewiston?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lewiston to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Heat waves9%Wildfire5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Lewiston faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Wildfire

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lewiston flood?

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

2paid claims since 1984

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Nez Perce County.

Disasters that hit Lewiston

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LewistonDeclared for Nez Perce County only

2025

Straight-Line Winds

$27K to the City of Lewiston for repairs

2005

Heavy Rains and Flooding

$52K to the City of Lewiston for repairs

Nez Perce County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

Around Lewiston

Lewiston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Clarkstonmostly inland floodingLow

West Clarkston-Highlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Lewistonmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Lewiston covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lewiston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lewiston. 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 Lewiston total about $4.5M 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.