Natural hazards · Ephrata

Ephrata, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ephrata comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ephrata?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ephrata to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Cold waves13%Earthquakes13%Heat waves8%Wildfire5%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Ephrata faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Wildfire

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Ephrata flood?

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

2paid claims since 1979

$9Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Ephrata is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Grant County.

Disasters that hit Ephrata

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EphrataDeclared for Grant County only

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$100K to the City of Ephrata for repairs

Grant County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

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. Ephrata covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ephrata’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ephrata. 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 Ephrata total about $1.2M 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.