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Grays Harbor County, Washington

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

Relatively High overall risk
4th of 39highest risk in Washington
$212Mexpected losses a year
32federal declarations
1 in 24homes with flood insurance
Photo: Martin Bravenboer, CC BY 2.0

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

Tsunami

Very High
$121 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 8 years.
  • Learn the tsunami evacuation route signs.
  • If you feel a strong quake near the coast, move to high ground right away.
$46.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 45 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$23.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 10 times a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
TsunamiVery High100.0
$121M
EarthquakeHigh98.1
$47M
Coastal floodingVery High99.0
$24M
Inland floodingModerate83.8
$19M
Ice stormHigh87.6
$604K
Heat waveLow58.9
$451K
LandslideModerate95.3
$113K
TornadoVery Low13.2
$90K
Strong windVery Low7.3
$42K
LightningVery Low13.9
$39K
Winter weatherLow39.0
$36K
WildfireVery Low33.9
$15K
HailVery Low2.4
$3K
AvalancheVery Low35.4
$132
DroughtVery Low13.0
$33
Cold waveVery Low2.6
$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

Flood16
Severe Storm13
Volcanic Eruption1
Earthquake1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Apr 7, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesEmergency
Apr 28, 2024Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Mar 29, 2022Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 8, 2021Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2020Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Mar 4, 2019Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, TornadoMajor disaster
Feb 2, 2016Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and A TMajor disaster
Oct 15, 2015Severe WindstormMajor disaster
Mar 5, 2012Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Show all 32
Mar 2, 2009Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record SnowMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 8, 2007Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2007Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2006Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
May 17, 2006Severe Storms, Flooding, Tidal Surge, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Nov 7, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 1, 2001EarthquakeMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1997Heavy Rains, Snow Melt, Flooding, Land & Mud SlidesMajor disaster
Jan 17, 1997Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 9, 1996High Winds, Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 3, 1996Severe Storms, High Wind, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 26, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 18, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 21, 1980Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. HelensMajor disaster
Dec 31, 1979Storms, High Tides, Mudslides & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 10, 1977Severe Storms,Mudslides, & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 1, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 9, 1971Heavy Rains, Melting Snows & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 1964Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

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.

3tornadoes
1hail reports, largest 0.75 inches
4damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 10, 2020EF1Neilton0 / 0
Aug 26, 1997F0Elma0 / 0
Dec 22, 1997F0Westport0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 6, 2022FloodIndependence$3M
Jan 5, 2006Heavy RainCountywide$3M
Mar 15, 1997Heavy RainMontesano$1M
Jan 7, 2009FloodAberdeen$1M
Mar 3, 1999Storm Surge/TideOcean Shrs$1M
Nov 4, 2006FloodBowerman 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 ›
4.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,364 policies)
18.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$14 millionpaid on 921 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $5.6 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 Grays Harbor County

$314,000median home value (Washington $564,600, US $332,700)
1974median year homes were built (Washington 1985, US 1980)
61%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11%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; 36,967 housing units.

Compare in Washington

All 39 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
King CountyVery HighEarthquake
Pierce CountyHighEarthquake
Snohomish CountyHighEarthquake
Spokane CountyModerateInland flooding
Clark CountyModerateInland flooding
Thurston CountyHighEarthquake
Kitsap CountyModerateEarthquake
Yakima CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Thurston CountyHigh28
Lewis CountyModerate35
Mason CountyModerate30
Jefferson CountyLow27
Pacific CountyModerate24

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.