Washington County, Rhode Island: hazard risk
FEMA rates Washington County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 64.0 of 100, higher than 63% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 441 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | $3.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | $2.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | $22M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 70.8 | $310K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65.5 | $561K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 67.3 | $921K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.4 | $419K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.5 | $124K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.2 | $66K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.0 | $393K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.4 | $664K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.7 | $425K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.6 | $746 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 23.1 | $13K |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.8 | $6K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 170 | 0 | $843K | 3rd of 4 | 24th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 87 | 0 | $354K | 4th of 4 | 583rd of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 51 | 0 | $1.6M | 4th of 4 | 2166th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 48 | 0 | $45M | 4th of 4 | 726th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 27 | 0 | – | 4th of 4 | 2307th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 0 | – | 3rd of 4 | 143rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 8 | 0 | – | 4th of 4 | 1914th of 3,063 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 0 | $1.2M | 3rd of 4 | 381st of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 8 | 1 | $69K | 4th of 4 | 288th of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 6 | 4 | – | 2nd of 4 | 86th of 2,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | – | 4th of 4 | 1791st of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 0 | $173K | 4th of 4 | 2585th 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 Washington County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.