Natural hazards · Kelso

Kelso, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kelso comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 1980. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kelso?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kelso to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding63%Earthquakes25%Heat waves6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Kelso faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesDroughtTsunamis

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 Kelso flood?

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

38paid claims since 1980

$938Kpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cowlitz County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

143flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

3flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Kelso

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KelsoDeclared for Cowlitz County only

2024

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

$1.2M to the City of Kelso for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

147 households applied for aid $491K aid approved $64K to the City of Kelso for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$19K to the City of Kelso for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

39 households applied for aid $59K aid approved

2001

Earthquake

$5K to the City of Kelso for repairs

Cowlitz County has had 21 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. Kelso covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kelso’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Kelso. 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 Kelso total about $3.4M 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.