Whatcom County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Whatcom County has experienced 27 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.
Whatcom County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, earthquake, and landslide, 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. Whatcom County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1971, covering 8 disaster types including flood (13), severe storm (6), fire (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 |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, Tornado |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2016 | Fire | Wildfires And Mudslides |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Windstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 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 | 61.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | 2 | 1 | $42.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.8 | 9 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 98.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 23.1 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | 93.2 | — | — | — |
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
Whatcom County ranks in the 50th 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 | 50th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 87th | 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 | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 43rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.9% | — |
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 Whatcom County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Whatcom County, Washington are avalanche, earthquake, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Whatcom County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Whatcom County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (13 declarations).
Has Whatcom County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Whatcom 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 1971.
How does Whatcom County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Snohomish County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and San Juan County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Whatcom County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Whatcom County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Whatcom 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. Whatcom County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.