Natural hazards · California

California, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in California comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is California?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in California to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding29%Heat waves24%Tornadoes19%Cold waves9%Ice storms7%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.

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

24% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Ice storms

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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: Moniteau County.

Disasters that hit California

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaliforniaDeclared for Moniteau County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$21K to the City of California for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$121K to the City of California for repairs

Moniteau County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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 the City of 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 $2.0M 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.