FEMA Records
4
Low volume
Idaho · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Twin Falls County, ID
4 FEMA disaster declarations (2005-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Biological.
- 4
- FEMA declarations
- 2
- Major disasters
- 47
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Biological
- Top hazard
The verdict
The declaration register is comparatively quiet for Twin Falls County. Its 4 federal records sit 52% below the Idaho county mean and above the count for 1% of counties nationally. That historical total does not set the National Risk Index: FEMA's separate loss-and-vulnerability model ranks the county safer than 47%.
- Safer than 47%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 4
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 16
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 16083 · Twin Falls County 4 declarations · rank 3216/3,266
DECL-LIGHT · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-LOW · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-LOW
- DECL-LIGHT 4
- MAJOR-MID 50%
- RANK-LOWER #3,216
- PHOTO-FINISH Canyon
- NRI-LOW 47
- ACT-LOW Low
- TYPE-LEAD Biological
- VS-ST-LOW -52%
Nearest declaration peer: Canyon, ID (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Idaho state profile
Twin Falls County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Twin Falls County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Canyon · near 4
Canyon · near
4 declarations
- Sweetwater · near 4
Sweetwater · near
4 declarations
- Twin Falls · this county 4
Twin Falls · this county
4 declarations
- Wayne · near 4
Wayne · near
4 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Twin Falls County carries 4 FEMA declaration records, ranked 3216 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Twin Falls County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Twin Falls County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Twin Falls County
4 1st percentile higher than 1% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Twin Falls County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Twin Falls County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $7.6M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Low), while Winter Weather carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Twin Falls County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 46.9/100 for this county (Relatively Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Relatively Low (roughly $16.6M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Relatively Low) and community resilience (Relatively Moderate) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Winter Weather stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 12 times per year here, based on 224 historical events on record.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 16 claims and $24.8K paid in total. PlainHazard calls 1-49 claims a light registry record, a label for this dataset rather than a finding that flood exposure is low. A short claims history can also reflect insurance take-up, the period covered, or losses that were never insured.
Start with the state benchmark: a Idaho county averages 8.3 federal declaration records, while Twin Falls County has 4. The gap is 52% below that mean. Fewer entries indicate a quieter history of recorded federal actions, not immunity from a hazard and not a prediction about what happens next.
30 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Twin Falls County, ID · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Low
3/30
4 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.2x national county average)
County Disaster Density Low
6/25
4 declarations (0.5x state county average of 8)
Major Disaster Share High
13/25
2 of 4 declarations are major disasters (50%)
Hazard Diversity Moderate
8/20
3 different disaster types declared in Twin Falls County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Twin Falls County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
50%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
47
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Twin Falls County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | an average of 12 times per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 41 years |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 3 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 3.2 modeled event-days per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 385 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 18 years |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | roughly once every 5,000 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 24 times per year |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Hail | Very Low | roughly once every 5 years |
| Drought | Very Low | 76 modeled event-days per year |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 7 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Biological 2
Flood 1
Hurricane 1
What Biological declarations mean here
Biological is the most frequent declaration type on Twin Falls County's record, 50% of its declarations. In practice this category is dominated by the COVID-19 declarations of 2020, which were issued across every US state and territory rather than in response to any local hazard event.
This has a direct consequence for how Twin Falls County's number should be read. Because those declarations reached essentially every county in the country, they raise every county's total by a similar amount and tell you nothing about local hazard exposure. A county whose record is led by Biological declarations is, in most cases, a county with a genuinely quiet weather-hazard history, the pandemic records are simply the largest thing in an otherwise short list.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 2 50.0%
of all 4 declarations
Emergency - 2 50.0%
of all 4 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 4 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 4 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4534 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-09 |
| 3467 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4310 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2017-04-21 |
| 3244 | HURRICANE KATRINA | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
Storm Events in Idaho
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Twin Falls County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 1,495 | 1 | 13 | $100.9M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,087 | 9 | 26 | $3.6M |
| Winter Storm | 492 | 4 | 15 | $1.0M |
| High Wind | 396 | 4 | 6 | $10.6M |
| Winter Weather | 297 | 10 | 15 | $1.7M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
16
Total Paid
$24.8K
Avg Per Claim
$1.6K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 46.9/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$16.6M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Relatively Moderate
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Winter Weather Relatively High
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Moderate
Heat Wave Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Volcanic Activity Very Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Avalanche Very Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Hail Very Low
Drought Very Low
Tornado Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Winter Weather
Winter Weather in the model means the accumulation of snow and cold that disrupts rather than destroys: road closures, roof loads, burst pipes and lost heating. Its costs land heavily on transport and on households least able to absorb an interruption.
Worth noting for Twin Falls County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Winter Weather carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively High), while the county's declaration history is led by Biological. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Twin Falls County's closest FEMA peer: Converse County, WY
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Twin Falls County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Twin Falls County shows 4 FEMA declarations, led by Biological.
Similar Major-disaster share
Twin Falls County: 2 of 4 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Twin Falls County: NRI composite 46.9 (Relatively Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Twin Falls County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Twin Falls County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 46.9 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 4. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
FEMA's National Risk Index flags Winter Weather as the top modeled exposure here (Relatively High); the guide explains how that model differs from declaration counts.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Twin Falls County?
The most common disaster type in Twin Falls County is Biological, with 2 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (1), Hurricane (1).
How does Twin Falls County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Idaho average?
The typical Idaho county has 8.3 FEMA declaration records; Twin Falls County has 4, or 52% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 81% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Twin Falls County received?
Twin Falls County has received 2 major disaster declarations, representing 50% of all 4 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Twin Falls County filed?
Twin Falls County has 16 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $24.8K in payments, with an average of $1.6K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Twin Falls County?
No. In Twin Falls County, Winter Weather has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $7.6M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Twin Falls County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Twin Falls County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 2005 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Twin Falls County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Twin Falls County, Idaho has an overall risk score of 46.9 out of 100 (Relatively Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively Low and community resilience is Relatively Moderate. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $16.6M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Twin Falls County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Twin Falls County is Winter Weather (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) and Landslide (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts winter weather here at an average of 12 times per year, drawn from 224 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Twin Falls County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Idaho profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events