Snohomish County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Snohomish County has experienced 37 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.
Snohomish County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Snohomish County has been designated in 37 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (15), flood (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 |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Fire | Bolt Creek Fire |
| 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 | Severe Storm | Severe Windstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 37 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 | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.7 | 4 | 0 | $2.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.3 | 17 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 64.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very High | 100 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 87.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 7.7 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | 96.4 | — | — | — |
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
Snohomish County ranks in the 36th percentile (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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 19th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 58th | 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 | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.5% | — |
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 Snohomish County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Snohomish County, Washington are landslide, earthquake, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Snohomish County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Snohomish County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (15 declarations).
Has Snohomish County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Snohomish County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Snohomish 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 Island County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Snohomish County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Snohomish County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Snohomish 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. Snohomish County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.