Home › California › Yolo County

Yolo County, California

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Moderate overall risk
38th of 58highest risk in California
$116Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 20homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Yolo County, California has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 91% of US counties. It ranks 38th of 58 counties in California. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and drought. FEMA estimates about $116 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $537 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2023 (severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides). About 1 in 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,606 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.3 million on 340 claims here, including $1.0 million for floods in 1995.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Yolo County

$42.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Earthquake

Moderate
$42 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Drought

Very High
$28.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 75 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate89.6
$42M
EarthquakeModerate97.4
$42M
DroughtVery High99.6
$29M
Heat waveLow78.6
$2M
WildfireLow87.0
$988K
TornadoVery Low22.4
$331K
LightningLow44.3
$216K
Strong windVery Low8.6
$70K
HailVery Low11.3
$41K
LandslideLow86.2
$40K
Winter weatherVery Low1.8
$734
Volcanic activityVery Low62.2
$51
AvalancheVery Low7.5
$5

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 Yolo County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm7
Flood6
Fire3
Drought1
Coastal Storm1
Freezing1

Most recent

Jan 14, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jan 9, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesEmergency
Aug 22, 2020WildfiresMajor disaster
Aug 18, 2020Lnu Lightning Fire ComplexFire management
May 17, 2019Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 1, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Mar 16, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jul 23, 2015Wragg FireFire management
Feb 3, 2006Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and LandslidesMajor disaster
Show all 20
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 9, 1998Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 4, 1997Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and LandslidesMajor disaster
Mar 12, 1995Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud FlowMajor disaster
Jan 10, 1995Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud FlowsMajor disaster
Feb 11, 1991Severe FreezeMajor disaster
Feb 21, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 9, 1983Coastal Storms, Floods, Slides & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Dec 24, 1964Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

California also had 35 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1980

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 70 storm reports in Yolo County since 1980, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries and about $12.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F0 tornado on March 20, 2005 near Dunnigan.

4tornadoes
3hail reports, largest 1 inches
5damaging thunderstorm winds
49floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 20, 2005F0Dunnigan0 / 0
Feb 21, 2005F0West Sacramento0 / 0
Feb 28, 2014EF0Merritt0 / 0
Sep 28, 2019EF0Davis0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 1, 2023FloodKnights Lndg$11M
May 18, 1994Hail–$1M
Jan 11, 2017Debris FlowRumsey$392K
Jan 8, 2017Debris FlowRumsey$365K
Mar 20, 2005TornadoDunnigan$21K
Jan 10, 2023Thunderstorm WindHebron$20K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 20, 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 Yolo County

Check your address flood zone ›
5%of homes have federal flood insurance (2,606 policies)
28.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.3 millionpaid on 340 flood claims since 1978
1995costliest year, with $1 million paid

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 Yolo County

$620,700median home value (California $734,700, US $332,700)
1983median year homes were built (California 1976, US 1980)
45%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.2%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 82,447 housing units.

Compare in California

All 58 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Los Angeles CountyVery HighEarthquake
San Diego CountyVery HighInland flooding
Orange CountyVery HighEarthquake
Riverside CountyVery HighInland flooding
San Bernardino CountyVery HighInland flooding
Santa Clara CountyVery HighEarthquake
Alameda CountyVery HighEarthquake
Sacramento CountyHighInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Sacramento CountyHigh21
Solano CountyHigh28
Napa CountyHigh37
Sutter CountyModerate18
Lake CountyModerate33
Colusa CountyModerate17

Common questions about Yolo County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Yolo County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Yolo County, about $42.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $42 million.

How many federal disasters has Yolo County had?

Yolo County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in January 2023.

Is Yolo County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 38th 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 Yolo County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 20 homes in Yolo 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 Yolo County had?

NOAA records list 4 tornadoes in Yolo County since 1950. The strongest was an F0 tornado on March 20, 2005 near Dunnigan. The weather service has also logged 3 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.