Washington cold wave risk
Yakima County has the highest cold wave risk in Washington, scoring 98.2 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima County | 98.2 | Relatively High |
| 2 | Spokane County | 97.5 | Relatively High |
| 3 | Clark County | 96.7 | Relatively High |
| 4 | Pierce County | 90.6 | Relatively High |
| 5 | Grant County | 89.5 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Whatcom County | 86 | Relatively Moderate |
| 7 | Okanogan County | 85.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 8 | Douglas County | 82.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 9 | Benton County | 82.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 10 | Lincoln County | 79.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 11 | Cowlitz County | 78.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 12 | Whitman County | 68.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Stevens County | 66.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Chelan County | 66.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Franklin County | 65.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Kittitas County | 65.3 | Relatively Low |
| 17 | Adams County | 64.7 | Relatively Low |
| 18 | Snohomish County | 64.4 | Relatively Low |
| 19 | Skamania County | 61.7 | Relatively Low |
| 20 | Walla Walla County | 51.9 | Relatively Low |
| 21 | Klickitat County | 49.4 | Relatively Low |
| 22 | Island County | 47.8 | Relatively Low |
| 23 | Ferry County | 44.3 | Relatively Low |
| 24 | Pend Oreille County | 44.1 | Relatively Low |
| 25 | Skagit County | 40.2 | Relatively Low |
| 26 | Clallam County | 38.1 | Relatively Low |
| 27 | San Juan County | 31.6 | Relatively Low |
| 28 | King County | 26.5 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Jefferson County | 24.4 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Asotin County | 17.7 | Very Low |
| 31 | Columbia County | 15 | Very Low |
| 32 | Pacific County | 14.3 | Very Low |
| 33 | Garfield County | 6.5 | Very Low |
| 34 | Wahkiakum County | 6.5 | Very Low |
| 35 | Lewis County | 3.1 | Very Low |
| 36 | Thurston County | 2.9 | Very Low |
| 37 | Grays Harbor County | 2.6 | Very Low |
| 38 | Kitsap County | 0 | No Rating |
| 39 | Mason County | 0 | No Rating |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Washington:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Washington?
Yakima County, WA has the highest cold wave risk in Washington, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.2 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes cold wave risk in Washington?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.