Natural hazards · Montesano

Montesano, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Montesano comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1994. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Montesano?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Montesano to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding53%Earthquakes44%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Montesano faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

HurricanesCold wavesTsunamisVolcanic activity

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 Montesano flood?

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

10paid claims since 1994

$144Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 1 claim, $9K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Grays Harbor County.

Disasters that hit Montesano

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MontesanoDeclared for Grays Harbor County only

2025

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

4 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2021

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

$17K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and a T

$31K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$13K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

46 households applied for aid $105K aid approved $66K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$8K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

351 households applied for aid $194K aid approved $140K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$12K to the City of Montesano for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

18 households applied for aid $18K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $550 aid approved

Grays Harbor County has had 30 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. Montesano is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Montesano’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Montesano. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

Montesano, WA natural hazards

How exposed is Montesano?

What Montesano faces

Inland flooding

Earthquakes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Montesano flood?

Biggest named events

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

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

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and a T

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

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