Natural hazards · Reno

Reno, NV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Reno comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 183 claims here since 1980. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Reno?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes69%Inland flooding25%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Reno faces

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

Earthquakes

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold wavesTsunamis

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 Reno flood?

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

183paid claims since 1980

$7.8Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19802026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washoe County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

64homes raised above flood level

20flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Reno

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RenoDeclared for Washoe County only

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$2.2M to the City of Reno for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.3M to the City of Reno for repairs

2005

Snow

$552K to the City of Reno for repairs

2004

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$220K to the City of Reno for repairs

Washoe County has had 47 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

Around Reno

Reno and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lemmon Valleymostly wildfiresVery high

Golden Valleymostly wildfiresVery high

Verdimostly inland floodingVery high

Cold Springsmostly wildfiresVery high

Sun Valleymostly earthquakesHigh

Sparksmostly earthquakesHigh

Renomostly earthquakesHigh

Mogulmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Reno covers 73 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Reno’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Reno. 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 Reno total about $152M 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.