Natural hazards · California

California, MD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in California comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is California?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in California to be higher than in 9% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes33%Inland flooding32%Heat waves8%Tornadoes7%Strong wind7%Everything else13%

By hazard

What California faces

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

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 California flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in California.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Mary's County.

Disasters that hit California

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaliforniaDeclared for St. Mary's County only

2003

Hurricane Isabel

30 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

St. Mary's County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. California covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to California’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to California. 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 California total about $945K 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.