Grays Harbor County, Washington
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Grays Harbor County, Washington has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 97% of US counties. It ranks 4th of 39 counties in Washington. The costliest hazards here are tsunamis, earthquakes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $212 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,808 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (30 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides). About 1 in 24 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,364 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $14 million on 921 claims here, including $5.6 million for floods in 2015.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Grays Harbor County
- Learn the tsunami evacuation route signs.
- If you feel a strong quake near the coast, move to high ground right away.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsunami | 100.0 | $121M | ||
| Earthquake | 98.1 | $47M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 99.0 | $24M | ||
| Inland flooding | 83.8 | $19M | ||
| Ice storm | 87.6 | $604K | ||
| Heat wave | 58.9 | $451K | ||
| Landslide | 95.3 | $113K | ||
| Tornado | 13.2 | $90K | ||
| Strong wind | 7.3 | $42K | ||
| Lightning | 13.9 | $39K | ||
| Winter weather | 39.0 | $36K | ||
| Wildfire | 33.9 | $15K | ||
| Hail | 2.4 | $3K | ||
| Avalanche | 35.4 | $132 | ||
| Drought | 13.0 | $33 | ||
| 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 high 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 Grays Harbor County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 32
Washington also had 51 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1969
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 31 storm reports in Grays Harbor County since 1969, with 3 deaths and 0 injuries and about $11.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on October 10, 2020 near Neilton.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2020 | EF1 | Neilton | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 26, 1997 | F0 | Elma | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 22, 1997 | F0 | Westport | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 6, 2022 | Flood | Independence | $3M |
| Jan 5, 2006 | Heavy Rain | Countywide | $3M |
| Mar 15, 1997 | Heavy Rain | Montesano | $1M |
| Jan 7, 2009 | Flood | Aberdeen | $1M |
| Mar 3, 1999 | Storm Surge/Tide | Ocean Shrs | $1M |
| Nov 4, 2006 | Flood | Bowerman Fld Ho | $760K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Feb 24, 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 Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor 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; 36,967 housing units.
Compare in Washington
All 39 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| King County | Earthquake | |
| Pierce County | Earthquake | |
| Snohomish County | Earthquake | |
| Spokane County | Inland flooding | |
| Clark County | Inland flooding | |
| Thurston County | Earthquake | |
| Kitsap County | Earthquake | |
| Yakima County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Thurston County | 28 | |
| Lewis County | 35 | |
| Mason County | 30 | |
| Jefferson County | 27 | |
| Pacific County | 24 |
Common questions about Grays Harbor County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Grays Harbor County?
Tsunami has the highest expected yearly losses in Grays Harbor County, about $121 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $46.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Grays Harbor County had?
Grays Harbor County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 30 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in April 2026.
Is Grays Harbor County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 4th highest of 39 in Washington. 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 Grays Harbor County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 24 homes in Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor County had?
NOAA records list 3 tornadoes in Grays Harbor County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on October 10, 2020 near Neilton. The weather service has also logged 1 hail reports and 6 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.