Natural hazards · Othello

Othello, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Othello comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Othello?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Othello to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves19%Earthquakes7%Heat waves7%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Othello faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Othello flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Othello.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Adams County.

Disasters that hit Othello

Federal disasters declared here

None of the disasters declared for Adams County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Othello itself in FEMA’s records.

Brought FEMA money into OthelloDeclared for Adams County only

Adams County has had 8 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. Othello covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Othello’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Othello. 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 Othello total about $2.1M 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.