Hawaii County, Hawaii: hazard risk
FEMA rates Hawaii County's overall risk Relatively High (score 98.5 of 100, higher than 98% of rated U.S. counties); 5 of its 17 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by volcanic activity, lightning, earthquake. Its storm record holds 2,801 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcanic Activity | Very High | 100.0 | $26M |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.6 | $2.4M |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.1 | $121M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 98.9 | $185M |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 98.3 | $14M |
| Tsunami | Relatively Moderate | 86.2 | $15M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 84.1 | $23K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.3 | $447K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.8 | $125K |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.6 | $16K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 7.6 | $3K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.4 | $33K |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.3 | $8K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.9 | $14 |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.6 | $11K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 1.7 | $504 |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip currents and high surf | 1,001 | 5 | $19M | 4th of 4 | 15th of 2,080 |
| Heavy rain | 653 | 1 | $40K | 4th of 4 | 34th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 468 | 0 | $2.0M | 4th of 4 | 1106th of 3,063 |
| Floods | 227 | 5 | $147M | 4th of 4 | 1689th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 164 | 0 | $800K | 3rd of 4 | 1294th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 100 | 0 | $317K | 4th of 4 | 101st of 2,972 |
| Winter storms | 46 | 0 | – | 3rd of 4 | 2853rd of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 12 | 0 | $9K | 3rd of 4 | 1037th of 1,849 |
| Hail | 11 | 0 | – | 3rd of 4 | 2992nd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 10 | 0 | $34K | 4th of 4 | 1912th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 0 | $18M | 4th of 4 | 2795th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 6 | 1 | $1.2M | 4th of 4 | 3018th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 0 | – | 4th of 4 | 377th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Hawaii County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.