DisasterAWARE
7
Very High

flood Flood Risk in San Francisco, CA

Risk Level: Very High — Score 7/10

FEMA: 7Historical: 10

Live Flood alert status near San Francisco

Checking live flood alerts near San Francisco…

refreshes every 15 minutes · DisasterAWARE live feed · all active flood alerts in the US →

Live flood activity around San Francisco — refreshed throughout the day.

Open full-screen map →

Key Risk Factors

  • FEMA rates San Francisco's county as Relatively High risk
  • Estimated annual loss of $178M from this hazard type
  • Frequent historical activity recorded in proximity
  • High recent activity — multiple events in the last 12 months
  • Average annual frequency: 1.6 events per year

Peak season: March-September

Last significant event: Flood - San Francisco Bay Area, United States (2026-02-16) — 1,080,000 people exposed

Highest Risk Cities for Floods

1
New York, NY
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
2
Los Angeles, CA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
3
Chicago, IL
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
4
Houston, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
5
Phoenix, AZ
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
6
Philadelphia, PA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
7
San Antonio, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
8
San Diego, CA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
9
Dallas, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
10
San Jose, CA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
San Francisco is not in the top 10 for flood risk among tracked cities.

How San Francisco Compares

Loading chart...

Notable Flood Events Near San Francisco

DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable flood events near San Francisco, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Flood - San Francisco--Oakland, CA Region, United States (December 2024) — 1,310,000 people exposed; $337,667M capital exposed.

Flood - San Francisco--Oakland, CA Region, United States

December 22, 2024 — WARNING

1,310,000 people exposed; $337,667M capital exposed

Flood - San Francisco Bay Area, United States

February 15, 2026 — ADVISORY

1,080,000 people exposed; $288,477M capital exposed

Flood - San Francisco, United States

December 21, 2025 — ADVISORY

747,000 people exposed; $274,175M capital exposed

Flood - San Francisco--Oakland, CA Region, United States

January 9, 2023 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood - San Francisco--Oakland, CA Region, United States

December 6, 2019 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood Preparedness Tips

  • 1.Know if your property is in a flood zone — check FEMA maps
  • 2.Consider flood insurance even if not in a high-risk zone
  • 3.Never drive through flooded roadways — Turn Around, Don’t Drown
  • 4.Move valuables and important documents to upper floors
  • 5.Install sump pumps and check valves in plumbing

Related Pages

earthquake
Earthquake Risk in San Francisco
Score: 9/10
wildfire
Wildfire Risk in San Francisco
Score: 1/10
hurricane
Hurricane Risk in San Francisco
Score: 0/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in San Francisco
Score: 3/10
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in San Francisco
Score: 1/10
landslide
Landslide Risk in San Francisco
Score: 7/10
extreme-heat
Extreme Heat Risk in San Francisco
Score: 5/10
drought
Drought Risk in San Francisco
Score: 5/10
high-wind
High Wind Risk in San Francisco
Score: 1/10
tsunami
Tsunami Risk in San Francisco
Score: 5/10
flood
Flood Risk in Oakland, CA
Score: 9/10
flood
Flood Risk in San Jose, CA
Score: 9/10
flood
Flood Risk in Sacramento, CA
Score: 7/10

How this data is built

San Francisco, CA flood risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live flood monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.

Monitor Flood Risk in Real Time

Get real-time flood alerts for San Francisco, CA and hundreds of other locations with DisasterAWARE's enterprise platform.

Start Free TrialTalk to Expert