Strong Wind Risk in Washington
All Washington counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index strong wind score
Strong Wind risk — damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes — is rated for 39 of 39 Washington counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Spokane County carries the state's highest strong wind score at 91.2, with $3M in expected annual strong wind losses.
1 Washington county is rated High or Very High for strong wind, and expected annual losses from strong wind total roughly $10M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Strong Wind
| # | County | Strong Wind Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane County | High | 0.25 / yr | $3M | |
| 2 | Clark County | Medium | 0.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 3 | Yakima County | Medium | 0.12 / yr | $790K | |
| 4 | Benton County | Low | 0.29 / yr | $528K | |
| 5 | Pierce County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $544K | |
| 6 | Franklin County | Low | 0.30 / yr | $445K | |
| 7 | Cowlitz County | Low | 0.04 / yr | $400K | |
| 8 | Walla Walla County | Low | 0.33 / yr | $330K | |
| 9 | Grant County | Low | 0.17 / yr | $234K | |
| 10 | Thurston County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $282K | |
| 11 | Lincoln County | Low | 0.20 / yr | $165K | |
| 12 | Okanogan County | Low | 0.10 / yr | $140K | |
| 13 | Pend Oreille County | Low | 0.18 / yr | $196K | |
| 14 | Lewis County | Low | 0.02 / yr | $168K | |
| 15 | Klickitat County | Low | 0.13 / yr | $152K | |
| 16 | Whitman County | Low | 0.26 / yr | $200K | |
| 17 | Adams County | Low | 0.24 / yr | $143K | |
| 18 | Douglas County | Low | 0.11 / yr | $126K | |
| 19 | Skamania County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $139K | |
| 20 | Stevens County | Very Low | 0.19 / yr | $82K | |
| 21 | Chelan County | Very Low | 0.06 / yr | $74K | |
| 22 | Asotin County | Very Low | 0.21 / yr | $58K | |
| 23 | Kitsap County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $86K | |
| 24 | Kittitas County | Very Low | 0.08 / yr | $61K | |
| 25 | Snohomish County | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $74K | |
| 26 | Grays Harbor County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $42K | |
| 27 | Mason County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $33K | |
| 28 | Ferry County | Very Low | 0.15 / yr | $25K | |
| 29 | Pacific County | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $33K | |
| 30 | Columbia County | Very Low | 0.30 / yr | $31K | |
| 31 | King County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $39K | |
| 32 | Wahkiakum County | Very Low | 0.03 / yr | $16K | |
| 33 | Clallam County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $12K | |
| 34 | Whatcom County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $12K | |
| 35 | Garfield County | Very Low | 0.22 / yr | $12K | |
| 36 | Jefferson County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $6K | |
| 37 | Island County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $6K | |
| 38 | Skagit County | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $6K | |
| 39 | San Juan County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $1K |
39 Washington counties with measurable strong wind risk. See the national strong wind ranking or all Washington counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Washington county has the highest strong wind risk?
Spokane County has the highest FEMA strong wind risk score in Washington at 91.2 (High), with $3M in expected annual losses and about 0.25 events per year.
How many Washington counties face significant strong wind risk?
39 Washington counties record measurable strong wind risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 1 of them are rated High or Very High.