Ada County, Idaho: hazard risk
FEMA rates Ada County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 87.8 of 100, higher than 87% of rated U.S. counties); 4 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather, wildfire, strong wind. Its storm record holds 308 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.9 | $3.0M |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 98.3 | $27M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.8 | $3.8M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.1 | $2.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.9 | $7.0M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.8 | $63M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | $706K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.2 | $6.6M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69.1 | $9K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 54.5 | $525K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.7 | $1.7M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.0 | $686K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 74.3 | $235 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 27.0 | $132 |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.6 | $783 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 0 | $1.1M | 2nd of 44 | 2366th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 45 | 0 | – | 39th of 44 | 2440th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 41 | 0 | $10K | 5th of 44 | 2648th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 30 | 0 | $141K | 23rd of 44 | 1560th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 24 | 0 | $6.9M | 6th of 44 | 2284th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 17 | 0 | – | 2nd of 44 | 971st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | $143K | 6th of 44 | 2447th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 1 | $7.7M | 27th of 44 | 451st of 2,972 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 0 | – | 26th of 44 | 348th of 2,278 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $18K | 8th of 44 | 1644th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | – | 34th of 44 | 2784th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Ada County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.