Honolulu County, Hawaii: hazard risk
FEMA rates Honolulu County's overall risk Relatively High (score 98.8 of 100, higher than 98% of rated U.S. counties); 6 of its 17 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning, riverine flooding, landslide. Its storm record holds 3,909 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | 100.0 | $13M |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | 99.3 | $330M |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 99.6 | $4.0M |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 99.0 | $27M |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.6 | $93M |
| Tsunami | Relatively High | 92.3 | $48M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | $1.8M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.4 | $159K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.3 | $880K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.2 | $688K |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.5 | $147 |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.9 | $39K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.9 | $64K |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
| Winter Weather | 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 | 2,398 | 15 | $745K | 2nd of 4 | 2nd of 2,080 |
| Heavy rain | 571 | 0 | – | 1st of 4 | 1st of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 260 | 3 | $1.7M | 1st of 4 | 130th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 238 | 0 | $1.2B | 1st of 4 | 66th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 219 | 0 | – | 3rd of 4 | 106th of 3,063 |
| Wildfires | 84 | 1 | $2.8M | 1st of 4 | 2nd of 2,972 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 0 | $5.1M | 1st of 4 | 1459th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 16 | 0 | – | 2nd of 4 | 2812th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 13 | 0 | $38K | 2nd of 4 | 2797th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 12 | 0 | $1.2M | 1st of 4 | 407th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 11 | 0 | – | 1st of 4 | 59th of 2,278 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 0 | – | 1st of 4 | 707th of 1,849 |
| Hail | 7 | 0 | – | 1st of 4 | 2910th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Honolulu County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.