Napa County, California
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Napa County, California has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 95% of US counties. It ranks 29th of 58 counties in California. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and drought. FEMA estimates about $186 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,349 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (23 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2023 (severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (868 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $30 million on 1,361 claims here, including $15 million for floods in 2005.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Napa County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 95.8 | $90M | ||
| Earthquake | 98.4 | $67M | ||
| Drought | 99.5 | $21M | ||
| Wildfire | 96.0 | $5M | ||
| Landslide | 98.7 | $1M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 68.2 | $987K | ||
| Heat wave | 66.8 | $794K | ||
| Tornado | 18.3 | $211K | ||
| Lightning | 30.2 | $110K | ||
| Strong wind | 8.3 | $61K | ||
| Hail | 8.5 | $25K | ||
| Tsunami | 3.1 | $3K | ||
| Winter weather | 4.2 | $3K | ||
| Volcanic activity | 60.3 | $33 | ||
| Avalanche | 9.2 | $7 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Napa County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 37
California also had 35 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1958
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 93 storm reports in Napa County since 1958, with 1 death and 0 injuries and about $148 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF0 tornado on April 27, 2016 near Oak Knoll.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2016 | EF0 | Oak Knoll | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2006 | Flood | Countywide | $148M |
| Jan 1, 2002 | Heavy Rain | Central Portion | $100K |
| Dec 20, 2010 | Heavy Rain | Yountville | $35K |
| Oct 24, 2010 | Heavy Rain | Union | $30K |
| Mar 14, 2012 | Heavy Rain | Napa Co Arpt | $30K |
| Oct 13, 2009 | Flood | Napa | $10K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jan 4, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Napa County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Napa County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 55,817 housing units.
Compare in California
All 58 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | Earthquake | |
| San Diego County | Inland flooding | |
| Orange County | Earthquake | |
| Riverside County | Inland flooding | |
| San Bernardino County | Inland flooding | |
| Santa Clara County | Earthquake | |
| Alameda County | Earthquake | |
| Sacramento County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Sonoma County | 33 | |
| Solano County | 28 | |
| Yolo County | 20 | |
| Lake County | 33 |
Cities in Napa County
Common questions about Napa County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Napa County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Napa County, about $89.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $66.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Napa County had?
Napa County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 23 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in April 2023.
Is Napa County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 29th highest of 58 in California. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Napa County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Napa County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Napa County had?
NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Napa County since 1950. The strongest was an EF0 tornado on April 27, 2016 near Oak Knoll. The weather service has also logged 7 hail reports and 49 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.