Whatcom County, Washington: hazard risk
FEMA rates Whatcom County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 91.0 of 100, higher than 90% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 17 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by avalanche, ice storm. Its storm record holds 455 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | 98.2 | $6.9M |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.1 | $2.7M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.8 | $51M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 | $559K |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | 93.2 | $128K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | $40M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.0 | $6.1M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | $276K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | $1.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | $794K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.2 | $421K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 61.7 | $110K |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 23.1 | $255K |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.5 | $503 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.1 | $127K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.2 | $12K |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.0 | $3K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 218 | 2 | $3.2M | 17th of 39 | 1575th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 158 | 9 | $18M | 12th of 39 | 555th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 20 | 0 | – | 13th of 39 | 1576th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 18 | 1 | $55M | 27th of 39 | 2779th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 13 | 11 | $5.5M | 12th of 39 | 126th of 2,278 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 0 | – | 17th of 39 | 2565th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | $242K | 18th of 39 | 1679th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 4 | 0 | – | 16th of 39 | 2445th of 3,063 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 0 | $1.6M | 5th of 39 | 932nd of 1,849 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 0 | $3K | 31st of 39 | 3030th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $6K | 27th of 39 | 2354th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | $16K | 26th of 39 | 2957th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | $2.8M | 34th of 39 | 1238th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Whatcom County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.