Avalanche Risk in Alaska
All Alaska counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index avalanche score
Avalanche risk — fast-moving snow and debris sliding down steep mountain slopes — is rated for 29 of 30 Alaska counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Matanuska-Susitna Borough carries the state's highest avalanche score at 99.9, with $15M in expected annual avalanche losses.
10 Alaska counties are rated High or Very High for avalanche, and expected annual losses from avalanche total roughly $61M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Avalanche
| # | County | Avalanche Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Very High | 1.33 / yr | $15M | |
| 2 | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Very High | 1.03 / yr | $10M | |
| 3 | Copper River Census Area | Very High | 0.83 / yr | $6M | |
| 4 | Denali Borough | Very High | 0.50 / yr | $6M | |
| 5 | Anchorage Municipality | Very High | 1.00 / yr | $7M | |
| 6 | Hoonah-Angoon Census Area | Very High | 0.17 / yr | $2M | |
| 7 | Chugach Census Area | Very High | 0.77 / yr | $5M | |
| 8 | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | High | 0.07 / yr | $2M | |
| 9 | Petersburg Borough | High | 0.07 / yr | $2M | |
| 10 | Haines Borough | High | 0.20 / yr | $1M | |
| 11 | Sitka City and Borough | Medium | 0.07 / yr | $913K | |
| 12 | Juneau City and Borough | Medium | 0.17 / yr | $1M | |
| 13 | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $457K | |
| 14 | Yakutat City and Borough | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $457K | |
| 15 | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $457K | |
| 16 | Aleutians West Census Area | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $457K | |
| 17 | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Medium | 0.03 / yr | $457K | |
| 18 | Lake and Peninsula Borough | Low | 0.07 / yr | $12K | |
| 19 | Bethel Census Area | Low | 0.03 / yr | $8K | |
| 20 | Dillingham Census Area | Low | 0.03 / yr | $4K | |
| 21 | Wrangell City and Borough | Low | 0.03 / yr | $4K | |
| 22 | Skagway Municipality | Low | 0.10 / yr | $3K | |
| 23 | Aleutians East Borough | Very Low | 0.07 / yr | $1K | |
| 24 | Northwest Arctic Borough | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 25 | North Slope Borough | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 26 | Nome Census Area | Very Low | 0.03 / yr | $752 | |
| 27 | Kodiak Island Borough | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $554 | |
| 28 | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $163 | |
| 29 | Kusilvak Census Area | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $14 |
29 Alaska counties with measurable avalanche risk. See the national avalanche ranking or all Alaska counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Alaska county has the highest avalanche risk?
Matanuska-Susitna Borough has the highest FEMA avalanche risk score in Alaska at 99.9 (Very High), with $15M in expected annual losses and about 1.33 events per year.
How many Alaska counties face significant avalanche risk?
29 Alaska counties record measurable avalanche risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 10 of them are rated High or Very High.