Natural hazards · Pasco

Pasco, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pasco comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pasco?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pasco to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Heat waves8%Earthquakes5%Cold waves5%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Pasco faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years 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 Pasco flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Pasco

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PascoDeclared for Franklin County only

2021

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

$209K to the City of Pasco for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$25K to the City of Pasco for repairs

Franklin County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Pasco

Pasco and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Finleymostly inland floodingVery high

West Pascomostly inland floodingHigh

Pascomostly inland floodingHigh

Burbankmostly inland floodingModerate

Kennewickmostly inland floodingModerate

Richlandmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Pasco covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pasco’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pasco. 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 Pasco total about $21.8M 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.