Nome Census Area, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Nome Census Area has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Nome Census Area's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, volcanic activity, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (87th 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. Nome Census Area has been designated in 12 declarations since 1989, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (6), biological (3), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Fall Storm, Tidal Surges, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1989.
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 | 45.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.5 | 54 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 58.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 89.6 | — | — | — |
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
Nome Census Area ranks in the 87th 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 | 87th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | 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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 35.1% | — |
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 Nome Census Area?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Nome Census Area, Alaska are cold wave, volcanic activity, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Nome Census Area received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Nome Census Area has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Nome Census Area had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Nome Census Area include Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong (2026), Severe Storm And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Nome Census Area's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Denali Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Nome Census Area is rated Very Low overall.
How is Nome Census Area's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Nome Census Area'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. Nome Census Area's composite score of 34 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 34% of US counties.