Clark County, Nevada
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Clark County, Nevada has a very high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is in the top 1% of US counties. It ranks 1st of 17 counties in Nevada. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $813 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $359 per resident. Since 1981 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2013 (Carpenter 1 Fire). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,197 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $9.3 million on 626 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Clark 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 99.6 | $362M | ||
| Heat wave | 99.9 | $295M | ||
| Earthquake | 99.1 | $124M | ||
| Wildfire | 99.1 | $24M | ||
| Hail | 97.3 | $4M | ||
| Avalanche | 85.1 | $913K | ||
| Lightning | 85.8 | $891K | ||
| Strong wind | 66.5 | $804K | ||
| Winter weather | 61.6 | $89K | ||
| Landslide | 92.1 | $70K | ||
| Tornado | 9.2 | $51K | ||
| Drought | 16.7 | $1K | ||
| Volcanic activity | 36.5 | $4 | ||
| Cold wave | 2.6 | $1 |
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 moderate and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Clark County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 12
Nevada also had 23 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 908 storm reports in Clark County since 1959, with 26 deaths and 197 injuries and about $298 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on September 17, 1989.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 1989 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 30, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1989 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 2001 | F1 | Cal-Nev-Ari | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 20, 1975 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | – | $50M |
| Jul 15, 2012 | Hail | Bracken | $50M |
| Jun 30, 2016 | Hail | Boulder Jct | $50M |
| Jul 8, 1999 | Flash Flood | Las Vegas | $25M |
| Aug 20, 2023 | Flash Flood | Charleston Park | $25M |
| Sep 11, 2012 | Flash Flood | Las Vegas N Air Term | $20M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Oct 10, 2025. 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 Clark 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 Clark 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; 948,995 housing units.
Compare in Nevada
All 17 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Clark County | Inland flooding | |
| Washoe County | Earthquake | |
| Lyon County | Earthquake | |
| Carson City City | Earthquake | |
| Elko County | Wildfire | |
| Nye County | Inland flooding | |
| Douglas County | Earthquake | |
| Churchill County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino County, CA | 59 | |
| Mohave County, AZ | 13 | |
| Nye County | 3 | |
| Inyo County, CA | 14 | |
| Lincoln County | 6 |
Common questions about Clark County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Clark County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clark County, about $362 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $295 million.
How many federal disasters has Clark County had?
Clark County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1981, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Carpenter 1 Fire in July 2013.
Is Clark County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very High, 1st highest of 17 in Nevada. 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 Clark County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Clark 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 Clark County had?
NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Clark County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on September 17, 1989. The weather service has also logged 106 hail reports and 398 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.