Yakima County, Washington: hazard risk
FEMA rates Yakima County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 94.0 of 100, higher than 93% of rated U.S. counties); 5 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by avalanche, wildfire, landslide. Its storm record holds 488 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 | 94.9 | $3.0M |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 98.9 | $19M |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.4 | $656K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.2 | $18M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 85.5 | $233K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.4 | $29M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.5 | $3.7M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.9 | $44M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | $1.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 70.1 | $790K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.6 | $366K |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 87.9 | $8K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 53.6 | $80K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.1 | $37K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 19.5 | $181K |
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 | 205 | 8 | $60M | 36th of 39 | 2457th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 68 | 1 | $1.1M | 37th of 39 | 2250th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 50 | 0 | $2.6M | 24th of 39 | 2745th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 45 | 0 | $22M | 19th of 39 | 328th of 2,972 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 0 | $258M | 8th of 39 | 2208th of 3,076 |
| Hail | 22 | 0 | $117M | 24th of 39 | 2979th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 22 | 0 | $76K | 22nd of 39 | 2964th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 18 | 1 | – | 25th of 39 | 2105th of 3,076 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 8 | 2 | $36M | 26th of 39 | 292nd of 2,278 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 0 | $26K | 16th of 39 | 2848th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 5 | 0 | $1.8M | 18th of 39 | 2174th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | $703K | 36th of 39 | 2348th 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 Yakima County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.