Natural hazards · Snoqualmie

Snoqualmie, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Snoqualmie comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 889 claims here since 1980. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Snoqualmie?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Snoqualmie to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes54%Inland flooding45%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Snoqualmie faces

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

Earthquakes

54% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Snoqualmie flood?

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

889paid claims since 1980

$19.0Mpaid to owners

163homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 196 claims, $4.7M
2025-12-AtmosphericRiver: 40 claims, $1.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (41) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Snoqualmie is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: King County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

172homes raised above flood level

53flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Snoqualmie

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SnoqualmieDeclared for King County only

2025

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

74 households applied for aid $277K aid approved

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$119K to the City of Snoqualmie for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

236 households applied for aid $499K aid approved $218K to the City of Snoqualmie for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$39K to the City of Snoqualmie for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$105K to the City of Snoqualmie for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

114 households applied for aid $251K aid approved $162K to the City of Snoqualmie for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2001

Earthquake

$36K to the City of Snoqualmie for repairs

King 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. Snoqualmie covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Snoqualmie’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Snoqualmie. 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 Snoqualmie total about $9.2M 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.