Skagit County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Skagit County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Skagit County's highest-rated hazards are volcanic activity, earthquake, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Skagit County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1971, covering 7 disaster types including flood (12), severe storm (11), 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 |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 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 | 52.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | 3 | 1 | $15.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 91.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97 | 9 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 11.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 78.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 30.8 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | 99 | — | — | — |
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
Skagit County ranks in the 60th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 60th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 46th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 74th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | Moderate |
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 | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.2% | — |
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 Skagit County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Skagit County, Washington are volcanic activity, earthquake, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Skagit County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Skagit County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (12 declarations).
Has Skagit County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Skagit 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 1971.
How does Skagit County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, King County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and San Juan County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Skagit County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Skagit County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Skagit 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. Skagit County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.