Natural hazards · Washoe Valley

Washoe Valley, NV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Washoe Valley comes from avalanches, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Washoe Valley?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Washoe Valley to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from avalanches and earthquakes.

Avalanches35%Earthquakes27%Inland flooding18%Wildfire18%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Washoe Valley faces

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

Avalanches

35% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Earthquakes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Wildfire

18% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold wavesDroughtTsunamis

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 Washoe Valley flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Washoe Valley 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.

Disasters that hit Washoe Valley

Federal disasters declared here

None of the disasters declared for Washoe County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Washoe Valley itself in FEMA’s records.

Brought FEMA money into Washoe ValleyDeclared for Washoe County only

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

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. Washoe Valley covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Washoe Valley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Washoe Valley. 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 Washoe Valley total about $2.9M 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.