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Natural hazards · Kirkland

Kirkland, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kirkland comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2001. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Kirkland?

72
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kirkland to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes75%Inland flooding24%Everything else2%
By hazard

What Kirkland faces

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

Earthquakes

75% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 32% 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 Kirkland flood?

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

6paid claims since 2001
$77Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
20012026

Biggest named events

  • Winter storm: 1 claim, $12K

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. Kirkland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: King County.
Disasters that hit Kirkland

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KirklandDeclared for King County only
2025

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

1 household applied for aid
2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$98K to the City of Kirkland for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$11K to the City of Kirkland for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$58K to the City of Kirkland for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

14 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $34K to the City of Kirkland for repairs
2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$159K to the City of Kirkland for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

22 households applied for aid $19K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $808 aid approved
King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Kirkland

Kirkland and the towns around it

Kenmore: High, mostly earthquakesSeattle: High, mostly earthquakesYarrow Point: High, mostly earthquakesRedmond: High, mostly earthquakesWoodinville: High, mostly earthquakesBellevue: High, mostly earthquakesBothell: High, mostly earthquakesClyde Hill: High, mostly earthquakesLake Forest Park: High, mostly earthquakesBainbridge Island: High, mostly earthquakesMercer Island: High, mostly earthquakesTukwila: Very high, mostly earthquakesBoulevard Park: Very high, mostly earthquakesWhite Center: High, mostly earthquakesBryn Mawr-Skyway: Very high, mostly earthquakesMedina: Moderate, mostly earthquakesBurien: High, mostly earthquakesVashon: Very high, mostly earthquakesShoreline: High, mostly earthquakesHunts Point: High, mostly earthquakesUnion Hill-Novelty Hill: High, mostly earthquakesSammamish: High, mostly earthquakesCottage Lake: Moderate, mostly earthquakesBeaux Arts Village: High, mostly earthquakesIssaquah: Very high, mostly earthquakesNewcastle: High, mostly avalanchesBothell West: High, mostly earthquakesBothell East: Moderate, mostly earthquakesMaltby: High, mostly earthquakesKirkland: High, mostly earthquakes KirklandKenmoreSeattleYarrow PointRedmondWoodinvilleBellevueBothellClyde Hill
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Bellevuemostly earthquakesHigh
Seattlemostly earthquakesHigh
Redmondmostly earthquakesHigh
Kenmoremostly earthquakesHigh
Woodinvillemostly earthquakesHigh
Kirklandmostly earthquakesHigh
Bothellmostly earthquakesHigh
Yarrow Pointmostly earthquakesHigh
Clyde Hillmostly earthquakesHigh
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. Kirkland covers 19 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kirkland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Kirkland. 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 Kirkland total about $53.9M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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