Natural hazards · Ferndale

Ferndale, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ferndale comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 48 claims here since 1989. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ferndale?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ferndale to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes56%Inland flooding30%Cold waves7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Ferndale faces

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

Earthquakes

56% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Ferndale flood?

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

48paid claims since 1989

$2.9Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

2025-12-AtmosphericRiver: 7 claims, $447K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Whatcom County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

5homes raised above flood level

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Ferndale

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FerndaleDeclared for Whatcom County only

2025

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

18 households applied for aid $112K aid approved

2021

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

183 households applied for aid $841K aid approved $82K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$53K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

2015

Severe Windstorm

$36K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

54 households applied for aid $112K aid approved $12K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$14K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

Whatcom County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Ferndale

Ferndale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Custermostly earthquakesHigh

Marietta-Alderwoodmostly earthquakesHigh

Ferndalemostly earthquakesModerate

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. Ferndale covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ferndale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ferndale. 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 Ferndale total about $3.3M 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.

Ferndale, WA natural hazards

How exposed is Ferndale?

What Ferndale faces

Earthquakes

Inland flooding

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Ferndale flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

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

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

Severe Windstorm

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

Severe Storms and Flooding

Ferndale and the towns around it

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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