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Natural hazards · Chehalis

Chehalis, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chehalis comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 477 claims here since 1981. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Chehalis?

89
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chehalis to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding28%Everything else2%
By hazard

What Chehalis faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis
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 Chehalis flood?

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

477paid claims since 1981
$31.1Mpaid to owners
61homes flooded more than once
19812026

Biggest named events

  • Winter storm: 163 claims, $15.4M
  • Torrential rain: 12 claims, $539K
  • 2025-12-AtmosphericRiver: 4 claims, $215K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (25) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Chehalis is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Lewis County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

24homes raised above flood level
13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
2flood-prone homes bought out and moved
Disasters that hit Chehalis

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChehalisDeclared for Lewis County only
2025

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

9 households applied for aid $10K aid approved
2021

Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding

$552K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2021

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

1 household applied for aid
2020

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$39K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$6K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

103 households applied for aid $242K aid approved $97K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$10K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

772 households applied for aid $6.0M aid approved $537K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$11K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

29 households applied for aid $112K aid approved $32K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
2001

Earthquake

$32K to the City of Chehalis for repairs
Lewis County has had 33 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. Chehalis covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chehalis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chehalis. 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 Chehalis total about $2.1M 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.

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