State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Natural Disasters in Hawaii
Hawaii faces a low level of natural disaster risk, with 14 FEMA disaster declarations on record. The dominant threat is fire, and severe weather has caused $5.7B in combined property and crop damage. NOAA storm event data shows 6,989 recorded weather events resulting in 137 fatalities, figures the state uses to prioritize disaster-preparedness planning.
- 14
- FEMA declarations
- 6,989
- NOAA storm events
- 137
- Storm fatalities
- $5.7B
- Property + crop damage
The Hawaii risk picture
2 of Hawaii's 4 counties, 50%, carry a FEMA "high-risk" National Risk Index rating, with earthquake the single largest driver of expected annual loss statewide. Hawaii has 5 FEMA disaster declarations that reached full Major Disaster status, triggering federal individual and public assistance, and its NOAA-tracked storms have caused 86 injuries statewide.
- 50%
- of counties rated high-risk by FEMA National Risk Index
- 14
- FEMA disaster declarations on record
- $5.7B
- in tracked property + crop damage
FEMA's National Risk Index and NOAA's Storm Events Database measure different things: modeled long-run risk vs. observed severe-weather events. See the methodology for how they relate.
How does Hawaii compare?
Hawaii vs. every U.S. state
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
14 Top 48% higher than 52% of 56 states and territories
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states and territories. 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 · 2026-07-25
How disaster-prone is Hawaii?
FEMA disaster declarations
Hawaii (HI) sits at a low level of federally recognized natural-disaster risk, with 14 FEMA disaster declarations on record, including 5 Major Disaster declarations (DR) that triggered full federal individual and public assistance. The dominant declaration type is Fire, followed by Flood (3), Severe Storm (1). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
NOAA storm events & FEMA National Risk Index
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, Hawaii recorded 6,989 individual storm events, causing 137 fatalities and 86 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $5.7B. The most frequent event types in the state are High Surf (3,890 events), Drought (1,216 events), Heavy Rain (1,103 events). Across the state's 4 analyzed counties, FEMA's own National Risk Index flags 2 as high-risk, with an average county Risk Index score (FEMA's own formula, distinct from our Risk Score tool below) of 93.7/100.
Flood exposure & where to dig deeper
NFIP claims data is limited or absent for this state in the current extract, which usually indicates low flood-policy penetration rather than zero flood risk. The highest-Expected-Annual-Loss hazard across the state is Earthquake, estimated at $0.2B annually. Drill into individual counties for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
Disaster Types in Hawaii
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for Hawaii (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Surf | 3,890 | 22 | 31 | $1.3M |
| Drought | 1,216 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Heavy Rain | 1,103 | 4 | 2 | $0 |
| Flash Flood | 238 | 6 | 4 | $126.4M |
| Strong Wind | 141 | 0 | 11 | $555.8K |
| Wildfire | 98 | 104 | 35 | $5.6B |
| High Wind | 89 | 0 | 0 | $165.0K |
| Volcanic Ashfall | 72 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Flood | 40 | 0 | 1 | $5.1M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 21 | 1 | 0 | $211.0K |
| Debris Flow | 19 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 12 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Winter Weather | 10 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Lightning | 7 | 0 | 0 | $58.0K |
| Funnel Cloud | 6 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Winter Storm | 6 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tropical Storm | 4 | 0 | 0 | $10.0K |
| Blizzard | 4 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Heavy Snow | 3 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tsunami | 2 | 0 | 0 | $40.0K |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 252 | 6 | 2 | $3.7M |
| 2024 | 180 | 3 | 7 | $22.8M |
| 2023 | 268 | 103 | 45 | $5.6B |
| 2022 | 1,326 | 0 | 6 | $2.6M |
| 2021 | 699 | 4 | 4 | $51.0M |
| 2020 | 622 | 0 | 0 | $30.9M |
| 2019 | 687 | 4 | 2 | $254.3K |
| 2018 | 840 | 4 | 6 | $28.4M |
| 2017 | 629 | 3 | 4 | $231.0K |
| 2016 | 727 | 5 | 2 | $1.0K |
| 2015 | 759 | 5 | 8 | $88.5K |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
14 unique disaster declarations in Hawaii.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4909 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2026-04-07 |
| 5613 | HOLOMUA FIRE | FM | Fire | 2025-09-23 |
| 5609 | KUNIA ROAD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2025-08-19 |
| 4793 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2024-06-17 |
| 4724 | WILDFIRES AND HIGH WINDS | DR | Fire | 2023-08-10 |
| 5475 | LAHAINA FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-09 |
| 5476 | UPCOUNTRY FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-09 |
| 5477 | PULEHU FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-09 |
| 5478 | MAUNA KEA BEACH FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-09 |
| 5474 | KOHALA RANCH FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-08 |
| 4639 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-02-15 |
| 5404 | MANA ROAD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2021-08-01 |
| 4604 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2021-05-13 |
| 5294 | KAHANA RIDGE FIRE | FM | Fire | 2019-10-23 |
FEMA National Risk Index
Composite natural hazard risk scores for Hawaii counties based on FEMA's National Risk Index.
Avg County Risk Score
93.7/100
High Risk Counties
2
of 4 counties
Top Hazard by EAL
Earthquake
$0.2B annual loss est.
Top 5 Hazards by Expected Annual Loss
#1
Earthquake
$246.8M EAL
#2
Tsunami
$103.0M EAL
#3
Wildfire
$47.3M EAL
#4
Volcanic Activity
$28.7M EAL
#5
Lightning
$17.5M EAL
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) EAL = Expected Annual Loss. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
Counties in Hawaii
4 counties with FEMA disaster data.
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
Essential steps to prepare your household for the most common natural hazards.
Hazard Risk by Region
How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.
Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect Hawaii?
How many FEMA disaster declarations has Hawaii had?
What severe weather events are most common in Hawaii?
What is the disaster risk level for Hawaii?
Which counties in Hawaii have the most disaster declarations?
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for Hawaii
Maui alone accounts for 64% of Hawaii's FEMA disaster declarations, out of 4 counties tracked statewide.
- Risk is uneven within the state - Maui and Hawaii carry the most declarations. Check the county where you live. Browse counties
- See how Hawaii ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, PlainHazard tracks 2,791 U.S. counties in FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries dataset, refreshed as of 2026-07-25. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.