States › Washington › King County

King County, Washington

Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.

FIPS 53033 · 2,252,305 residents (2021) · 2,116 sq mi · dominant hazard Other

Hail · 4Tornado · 5Flood · 8Wind · 7Winter · 0

King County within Washington. Dots: HailTornadoFloodWind event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.

The NCEI record lists 83 events for King County, Washington, between 1950 and 2026; other events account for the largest share.

That is 3.9 events per 100 square miles, below the Washington figure of 15.1, and 0.4 per 10,000 residents against 12.9 statewide.

0 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 2 deaths and 25 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $117M.

FEMA has designated the county in 35 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (major disaster, 7 Apr 2026).

National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 3,384 claims since 1978, of which 2,676 were paid, totalling $67M (about $25K per paid claim). FEMA counts 4,529 residential flood policies in force.

FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very High" and its expected annual loss as "Very High" ($1.7B a year across 18 hazards).

0events, last 12 monthsto 30 Jun 2026

83events since 19502 deaths, 25 injuries recorded

35disaster declarationslast 7 Apr 2026

3,384NFIP flood claims$67M paid

Compared with Washington and the United States

Measure	King County	Washington	US
Recorded events since 1950	83	10,014	1,977,440
Events per 100 square miles	3.9	15.1	56.0
Events per 10,000 residents	0.4	12.9	59.6
Events in the last 12 months	0	130	62,008
Deaths recorded by NCEI	2	321	26,435
Property damage (NCEI estimates)	$117M	$4.6B	$575B
NFIP claims per 1,000 residents	1.5	2.1	8.1
Average paid NFIP claim	$25K	$29K	$43K
Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years	10.1	10.7	16.1

County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.

Events by decade

Wind: 1

Tornado: 3Wind: 1

Hail: 1Tornado: 1

Wind: 2

Hail: 1Flood: 1Lightning: 12Other: 4

Hail: 2Tornado: 1Flood: 4Wind: 1Lightning: 4Other: 18

Flood: 2Wind: 2Lightning: 6Other: 10

Flood: 1Other: 5

11950s41960s21970s21980s181990s302000s202010s62020s

Recorded events in King County by decade and hazard group. HailTornadoFloodWindLightningOther NCEI recorded only tornadoes, hail and thunderstorm wind before 1996.

Trend: 43 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 32 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.

Events by type

Other37

Lightning22

Flood8

Wind7

Tornado5

Hail4

Hazard	Events	Deaths	Share of state's events
■ Other	37	1	5.1%
■ Lightning	22	—	20.8%
■ Flood	8	1	1.0%
■ Wind	7	—	0.3%
■ Tornado	5	—	3.6%
■ Hail	4	—	1.0%

Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.

Largest recorded events

Date	Event type	Group	Magnitude	Property damage	Crop damage	Deaths	Injuries	Geography
14 Dec 2006	Flash Flood	Flood	—	$750K	—	1	—	County
6 Jan 2022	Heavy Rain	Other	—	—	—	1	—	County
14 Jan 2000	Heavy Rain	Other	—	—	—	—	15	County
9 Feb 2017	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$33M	—	—	—	County
29 Dec 1996	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$32M	—	—	—	County
3 Aug 1999	Lightning	Lightning	—	$650K	—	—	2	County
5 Jul 1997	Lightning	Lightning	—	—	—	—	2	County
7 Jan 2009	Flood	Flood	—	$14M	—	—	—	County
3 Dec 2007	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$12M	—	—	—	County
7 Jan 2022	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$1.5M	—	—	1	County
4 Nov 2006	Flood	Flood	—	$11M	—	—	—	County
12 Dec 1969	Tornado	Tornado	F3	$250K	—	—	1	County
31 Jul 2013	Lightning	Lightning	—	$10K	—	—	1	County
13 Jul 2012	Lightning	Lightning	—	$1K	—	—	1	County
30 Nov 1996	Lightning	Lightning	—	—	—	—	1	County
3 Apr 1997	Lightning	Lightning	—	—	—	—	1	County
1 Mar 1999	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$5.5M	—	—	—	County
12 Dec 2010	Flood	Flood	—	$3.0M	—	—	—	County
14 Dec 2006	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$1.0M	—	—	—	County
5 Jan 2006	Heavy Rain	Other	—	$800K	—	—	—	County

Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.

Federal disaster declarations

Declared	Number	Type	Incident	Title	Programs
7 Apr 2026	DR-4906	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Individual assistance, Public assistance
12 Dec 2025	EM-3629	Emergency	Flood	Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Public assistance
28 Apr 2024	DR-4775	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Public assistance
10 Sep 2022	FM-5455	Fire management assistance	Fire	Bolt Creek Fire	Public assistance
23 Apr 2020	DR-4539	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Public assistance
22 Mar 2020	DR-4481	Major disaster	Biological	Covid-19 Pandemic	Individual assistance, Public assistance
13 Mar 2020	EM-3427	Emergency	Biological	Covid-19	Public assistance
21 Apr 2017	DR-4309	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides	Public assistance
5 Mar 2012	DR-4056	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Public assistance
25 Mar 2011	DR-1963	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Public assistance
2 Mar 2009	DR-1825	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow	Public assistance
30 Jan 2009	DR-1817	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, And Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
8 Dec 2007	DR-1734	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Individual assistance, Public assistance
14 Feb 2007	DR-1682	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, And Mudslides	Public assistance
12 Dec 2006	DR-1671	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides	Individual assistance, Public assistance
7 Sep 2005	EM-3227	Emergency	Coastal Storm	Hurricane Katrina Evacuation	Public assistance
7 Nov 2003	DR-1499	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Storms And Flooding	Individual assistance
1 Mar 2001	DR-1361	Major disaster	Earthquake	Earthquake	Individual assistance, Public assistance
2 Apr 1997	DR-1172	Major disaster	Flood	Heavy Rains, Snow Melt, Flooding, Land & Mud Slides	Individual assistance, Public assistance
17 Jan 1997	DR-1159	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
9 Feb 1996	DR-1100	Major disaster	Flood	High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
3 Jan 1996	DR-1079	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, High Wind, And Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
4 Mar 1993	DR-981	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Severe Storms & High Wind	Public assistance
8 Mar 1991	DR-896	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms & High Tides	Public assistance
26 Nov 1990	DR-883	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
18 Jan 1990	DR-852	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
15 Dec 1986	DR-784	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
15 Feb 1986	DR-757	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms & Flooding	Public assistance
21 May 1980	DR-623	Major disaster	Volcanic Eruption	Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens	Individual assistance, Public assistance
31 Dec 1979	DR-612	Major disaster	Flood	Storms, High Tides, Mudslides & Flooding	Individual assistance
10 Dec 1977	DR-545	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
13 Dec 1975	DR-492	Major disaster	Flood	Severe Storms & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
24 Mar 1972	DR-328	Major disaster	Flood	Heavy Rains & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance
11 May 1965	DR-196	Major disaster	Earthquake	Earthquake	Individual assistance, Public assistance
29 Dec 1964	DR-185	Major disaster	Flood	Heavy Rains & Flooding	Individual assistance, Public assistance

Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.

Flood insurance claims

197820022026

NFIP claims by year of loss in King County, 1978 to 2026 (hover for the amount paid).

Claims since 19783,384

Paid claims2,676

Total paid$67M

Average paid claim$25K

Repetitive-loss properties35348 severe

Residential policies in force4,5290.8% of 578,363 structures

Year of loss	Claims	Paid claims	Amount paid	Average paid
2026	1	0	$0	—
2025	212	174	$9,977,970	$57,345
2024	6	3	$282,714	$94,238
2023	17	8	$289,742	$36,218
2022	49	38	$2,392,755	$62,967
2021	18	5	$53,475	$10,695
2020	108	82	$2,551,921	$31,121
2019	18	15	$543,475	$36,232
2018	4	1	$1,267	$1,267
2017	23	11	$133,541	$12,140
2016	15	8	$338,586	$42,323
2015	75	53	$524,677	$9,900
2014	26	13	$263,238	$20,249
2013	20	12	$143,649	$11,971
2012	40	21	$710,542	$33,835
2011	21	11	$114,429	$10,403
2010	60	34	$317,376	$9,335
2009	668	606	$18,884,201	$31,162
2008	57	46	$711,311	$15,463
2007	75	58	$1,655,459	$28,542
2006	447	408	$11,545,293	$28,297
2005	11	5	$114,753	$22,951
2004	6	4	$41,309	$10,327
2003	27	16	$159,107	$9,944
2002	4	1	$616	$616

OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).

National Risk Index

Overall riskVery Highscore 99.7 of 100

Expected annual loss$1.7BVery High

Social vulnerabilityVery Low

Community resilienceVery High

Hazard (NRI)	Risk rating	Expected annual loss
Earthquake	Very High	$1,214,712,330
Inland flooding	Very High	$416,875,117
Heat wave	Relatively High	$18,918,036
Avalanche	Very High	$11,079,036
Tsunami	Relatively Low	$6,266,609
Tornado	Relatively Moderate	$3,535,635
Volcanic activity	Relatively High	$1,862,644
Landslide	Relatively High	$1,671,514
Coastal flooding	Relatively Moderate	$1,495,665
Ice storm	Relatively High	$1,302,757
Winter weather	Relatively High	$814,521
Lightning	Relatively Moderate	$750,406
Wildfire	Relatively Low	$487,057
Cold wave	Relatively Low	$448,623
Strong wind	Very Low	$38,512
Hail	Very Low	$7,653
Drought	Very Low	$240

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.

Hurricane and tropical storm passes

No HURDAT2 track at tropical-storm strength passes within 100 miles of the county's centre point (through the 2025 season).

ZIP codes with flood claims

98065 1,195
98045 244
98027 240
98038 210
98014 178
98019 72
98047 65
98288 61
98166 60
98024 58
98058 54
98070 48
98022 41
98155 41
98028 40
98224 39
98125 35
98116 34
98092 27
98115 27
98032 26
98136 25
98177 25
98146 23
98004 22
98198 22
98006 21
98072 21
98108 21
98133 20
98031 18
98126 18
98199 18
98052 17
98007 16
98034 15
98033 14
98074 14
98117 14
98023 13
98040 13
98075 13
98112 13
98008 12
98001 11
98002 11
98106 11
98178 11
98003 10
98118 9
98030 8
98042 8
98077 8
98011 7
98105 7
98148 7
98005 6
98053 6
98103 6
98188 6

ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.

Questions and answers

How often does it hail in King County, WA?

NCEI records 4 hail events in King County since 1950, in 4 different years; that is about 0.1 recorded events a year. 0 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.

Has King County had a tornado?

Yes. NCEI records 5 tornadoes in King County since 1950, 1 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.

When was the last federal disaster declaration for King County?

7 Apr 2026: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides, a major disaster declaration for flood. The county appears in 35 declarations since 1953.

How many flood insurance claims have been filed in King County, and how much was paid?

3,384 NFIP claims since 1978, 2,676 of them paid, for $67M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.

Is King County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?

FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very High" for overall risk, "Very High" for expected annual loss, "Very Low" for social vulnerability and "Very High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.

How does King County compare with the rest of Washington?

3.9 recorded events per 100 square miles against 15.1 statewide, and 1.5 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 2.1. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.

Provenance

Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.