Washoe County, Nevada: hazard risk
FEMA rates Washoe County's overall risk Relatively High (score 96.7 of 100, higher than 96% of rated U.S. counties); 5 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather, earthquake, wildfire. Its storm record holds 2,176 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 | 99.0 | $2.1M |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.2 | $160M |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 99.0 | $27M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 94.5 | $80M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.9 | $1.4M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | $65K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | $1.0M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $490K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71.0 | $1.1M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.0 | $413K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.4 | $610K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.5 | $169K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 78.5 | $344 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 14.3 | $146K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.2 | $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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 1,124 | 5 | $15M | 5th of 17 | 520th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 661 | 7 | $9.2M | 5th of 17 | 2083rd of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 123 | 0 | $69K | 4th of 17 | 853rd of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 76 | 1 | $25K | 6th of 17 | 2879th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 63 | 2 | $29M | 6th of 17 | 2824th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 40 | 0 | – | 5th of 17 | 2913th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 22 | 2 | $53M | 5th of 17 | 666th of 2,972 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 14 | 1 | $20K | 5th of 17 | 270th of 2,278 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | – | 2nd of 17 | 2840th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 6 | 0 | – | 9th of 17 | 2456th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 0 | – | 9th of 17 | 2865th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 5 | 0 | $380K | 5th of 17 | 2306th 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 Washoe County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.