San Juan County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
San Juan County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1980, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
San Juan County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th 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. San Juan County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1980, covering 5 disaster types including flood (4), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tidal Surge, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1991 | Flood | Severe Storms & High Tides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1980.
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 | 41.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 42.1 | 1 | 0 | $475K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.4 | 34 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 13.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 60 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 62.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 6.2 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 37.1 | — | — | — |
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
San Juan County ranks in the 15th 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 | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 9th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 22nd | Very 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 | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.8% | — |
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 San Juan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in San Juan County, Washington are earthquake, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has San Juan County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. San Juan County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1980, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has San Juan County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for San Juan County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2022.
How does San Juan County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kitsap County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Jefferson County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). San Juan County is rated Very Low overall.
How is San Juan County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
San Juan 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. San Juan County's composite score of 35 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 35% of US counties.