Grays Harbor County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grays Harbor County has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Grays Harbor County's highest-rated hazards are tsunami, coastal flooding, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (82nd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Grays Harbor County has been designated in 35 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (16), severe storm (13), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, Tornado |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, And A T |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 33.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 3 | 2 | $3.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.1 | 7 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 35.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very High | 100 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
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
Grays Harbor County ranks in the 82nd percentile (High) 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 | 82nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 67th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 84th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | High |
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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 40.6% | — |
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 Grays Harbor County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Grays Harbor County, Washington are tsunami, coastal flooding, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Grays Harbor County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grays Harbor County has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (16 declarations).
Has Grays Harbor County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grays Harbor County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Grays Harbor County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Thurston County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Wahkiakum County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Grays Harbor County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Grays Harbor County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Grays Harbor 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. Grays Harbor County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.