Natural hazards · Black Diamond

Black Diamond, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Black Diamond comes from avalanches, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Black Diamond?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Black Diamond to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from avalanches.

Avalanches82%Earthquakes10%Inland flooding8%

By hazard

What Black Diamond faces

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

Avalanches

82% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtTsunamis

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 Black Diamond flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: King County.

Disasters that hit Black Diamond

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Black DiamondDeclared for King County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$72K to the City of Black Diamond for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $19K to the City of Black Diamond for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$38K to the City of Black Diamond for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid

King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Black Diamond

Black Diamond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lake Morton-Berrydalemostly earthquakesHigh

Black Diamondmostly avalanchesHigh

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. Black Diamond is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Black Diamond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Black Diamond. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.