Hurricane Risk in California

All California counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index hurricane score

Hurricane risk — tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge — is rated for 3 of 58 California counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Imperial County carries the state's highest hurricane score at 22.3, with $5K in expected annual hurricane losses.

No California county reaches the High band for hurricane, and expected annual losses from hurricane total roughly $9K statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.

County Rankings — Hurricane

#CountyHurricane ScoreRatingAnn. Freq.Ann. Loss
1 Imperial County
22.3
Very Low 0.02 / yr $5K
2 Riverside County
12.0
Very Low 0.01 / yr $3K
3 San Diego County
8.3
Very Low 0.01 / yr $1K

3 California counties with measurable hurricane risk. See the national hurricane ranking or all California counties by overall risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which California county has the highest hurricane risk?

Imperial County has the highest FEMA hurricane risk score in California at 22.3 (Very Low), with $5K in expected annual losses and about 0.02 events per year.

How many California counties face significant hurricane risk?

3 California counties record measurable hurricane risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.

Other Hazards in California