Natural hazards · Longview

Longview, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Longview comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1980. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Longview?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Longview to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes69%Inland flooding22%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Longview faces

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

Earthquakes

69% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Longview flood?

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

22paid claims since 1980

$766Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 1 claim, $2K
Mt. St. Helens Eruption: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Longview 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

6homes raised above flood level

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Longview

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LongviewDeclared for Cowlitz County only

2021

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

$1.3M to the City of Longview for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

113 households applied for aid $189K aid approved $97K to the City of Longview for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$38K to the City of Longview for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

38 households applied for aid $46K aid approved $359K to the City of Longview for repairs

Cowlitz County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Longview

Longview and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Kelsomostly inland floodingVery high

Longviewmostly earthquakesHigh

Longview Heightsmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Longview covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Longview’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Longview. 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 Longview total about $28.8M 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.