Home › Washington › Okanogan County

Okanogan County, Washington

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
16th of 39highest risk in Washington
$51Mexpected losses a year
40federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Okanogan County, Washington has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 89% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 39 counties in Washington. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, wildfires and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $51 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,208 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (wildfires). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (183 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $479,000 on 89 claims here.

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

Top risks in Okanogan County

$22.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.
$19.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 60 years.
  • Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
  • Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate89.1
$23M
WildfireHigh99.3
$20M
Cold waveModerate85.5
$3M
EarthquakeLow86.2
$2M
AvalancheHigh89.8
$1M
Heat waveLow72.4
$657K
HailModerate81.2
$620K
LightningModerate63.8
$253K
Strong windLow23.3
$140K
Winter weatherModerate71.3
$89K
LandslideModerate94.9
$82K
TornadoVery Low6.6
$20K
Ice stormVery Low9.0
$3K
DroughtVery Low20.3
$3K
Volcanic activityVery Low76.9
$166

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 very high 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 Okanogan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Fire29
Severe Storm6
Flood3
Volcanic Eruption1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Aug 3, 2026WildfiresEmergency
Aug 1, 2026Sinlahekin FireFire management
Jul 17, 2026Kaiser Canyon FireFire management
Jul 24, 2024Swawilla FireFire management
Apr 28, 2024Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jul 30, 2023Eagle Bluff FireFire management
Jan 12, 2023Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Mar 29, 2022Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 16, 2021Muckamuck FireFire management
Jul 20, 2021Cedar Creek FireFire management
Show all 40
Apr 8, 2021Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 4, 2021Wildfires and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2020Cold Springs/Pearl Hill FireFire management
Aug 20, 2020Palmer FireFire management
Jul 28, 2020Anglin FireFire management
Oct 20, 2015Wildfires and MudslidesMajor disaster
Aug 21, 2015WildfiresEmergency
Aug 19, 2015Twisp River FireFire management
Aug 15, 2015Okanagan County Fire ComplexFire management
Aug 14, 2015Nine Mile FireFire management
Aug 14, 2015Chelan Fire ComplexFire management
Aug 11, 2014WildfiresMajor disaster
Jul 23, 2014WildfiresEmergency
Jul 17, 2014Carlton Complex FireFire management
Sep 25, 2012Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 22, 2009Oden Road FireFire management
Jul 16, 2007Tunk Grade FireFire management
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Nov 7, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 6, 2003Wa-Needle Fire-09-06-2003Fire management
Jul 16, 2003Wa-Okanogan City Fire-07-16-2003Fire management
Jul 25, 2002Wa - Pickens Fire - 07/24/02Fire management
Aug 16, 2001Wa Tonasket Fire Complex 2376Fire management
Aug 14, 2001Wa Brewster Fire Complex 2373Fire management
Aug 14, 2001Wa - Virginia Lakes Complex - 2372Fire management
Jul 22, 2000Wa-Wildfire-07-24-2000Fire management
Jan 17, 1997Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 14, 1989Heavy Rains, Flooding & MudslidesMajor disaster
May 21, 1980Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. HelensMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Washington also had 51 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1973

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 230 storm reports in Okanogan County since 1973, with 5 deaths and 6 injuries and about $71.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 3, 1982.

5tornadoes
36hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
54damaging thunderstorm winds
79floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 3, 1982F1–0 / 0
Jul 21, 1997F1Nespelem0 / 0
Jul 21, 1997F1Nespelem0 / 0
May 30, 1987F1–0 / 0
Aug 26, 1997F0Omak0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 9, 1995Hail–$25M
May 5, 2018FloodOroville$12M
Apr 4, 2017FloodMazama Arpt$4M
Jul 22, 2000WildfireOroville$3M
Jul 5, 2006HailConconully$2M
Jul 5, 2006HailTwisp$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Sep 25, 2024. 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 Okanogan County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (183 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$478,776paid on 89 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $184,451 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 Okanogan County

$299,800median home value (Washington $564,600, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Washington 1985, US 1980)
48%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.6%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; 22,156 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
Whatcom CountyModerate24
Skagit CountyModerate27
Grant CountyLow10
Chelan CountyModerate51
Douglas CountyLow17
Lincoln CountyLow15
Ferry CountyLow22

Common questions about Okanogan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Okanogan County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Okanogan County, about $22.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Wildfire is second at $19.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Okanogan County had?

Okanogan County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Wildfires in August 2026.

Is Okanogan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 16th 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 Okanogan County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Okanogan 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 Okanogan County had?

NOAA records list 5 tornadoes in Okanogan County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 3, 1982. The weather service has also logged 36 hail reports and 79 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.