Anne Arundel County, MD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Anne Arundel County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Anne Arundel County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, lightning, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Anne Arundel County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1971, covering 6 disaster types including snowstorm (7), hurricane (6), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1971.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 35.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 76 | 0 | $15K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | 59 | 0 | $80K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 83.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.2 | 26 | 4 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 82 | 5 | 0 | $1.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 26 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 67.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Anne Arundel County ranks in the 16th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 8th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 30th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 194 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 127 in 2016–20 vs 67 in 2021–25 (-47% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Anne Arundel County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Anne Arundel County, Maryland are winter weather, lightning, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Anne Arundel County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Anne Arundel County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (7 declarations).
Has Anne Arundel County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Anne Arundel County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1971.
How does Anne Arundel County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, District of Columbia, DC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Queen Anne's County, MD has the lowest (Very Low). Anne Arundel County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Anne Arundel County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Anne Arundel County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Anne Arundel County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.