Natural hazards · Washington

Washington, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Washington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Washington?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Washington to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Washington faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Washington flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wood County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Washington

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WashingtonDeclared for Wood County only

2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

7 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

4 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Wood County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Washington

Washington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Washingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Lubeckmostly inland floodingHigh

Blennerhassettmostly inland floodingHigh

Belpremostly 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. Washington 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 Washington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Washington. 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.