Natural hazards · Carnation

Carnation, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carnation comes from avalanches, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1990. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Carnation?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carnation to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from avalanches and inland flooding.

Avalanches68%Inland flooding22%Earthquakes10%

By hazard

What Carnation faces

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

Avalanches

68% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTsunamis

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 Carnation flood?

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

17paid claims since 1990

$699Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 2 claims, $65K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Carnation is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: King County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

17homes raised above flood level

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Carnation

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarnationDeclared for King County only

2025

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

5 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

62 households applied for aid $130K aid approved $13K to the City of Carnation for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$19K to the City of Carnation for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

18 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods 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. Carnation 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 Carnation’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Carnation. 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.