Natural hazards · Walla Walla

Walla Walla, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walla Walla comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1996. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Walla Walla?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walla Walla to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes41%Inland flooding39%Heat waves8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Walla Walla faces

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

Earthquakes

41% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Walla Walla flood?

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

1paid claims since 1996

$93Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Walla Walla County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Walla Walla

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Walla WallaDeclared for Walla Walla County only

2020

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$66K to the City of Walla Walla for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$695K to the City of Walla Walla for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$91K to the City of Walla Walla for repairs

Walla Walla County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

Around Walla Walla

Walla Walla and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

College Placemostly inland floodingModerate

Garrettmostly inland floodingLow

Walla Wallamostly earthquakesLow

Walla Walla Eastmostly inland floodingLow

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. Walla Walla covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walla Walla’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Walla Walla. 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 Walla Walla total about $8.3M 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.