DisasterAWARE
7
Very High

flood Flood Risk in Washington, DC

Risk Level: Very High — Score 7/10

FEMA: 7Historical: 10

Live Flood alert status near Washington

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Live flood activity around Washington — refreshed throughout the day.

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Key Risk Factors

  • FEMA rates Washington's county as Relatively High risk
  • Estimated annual loss of $130M from this hazard type
  • Extensive history of significant events in this area
  • High recent activity — multiple events in the last 12 months
  • Average annual frequency: 4.2 events per year

Peak season: March-September

Last significant event: Flash Flood - Washington D.C. metro area, United States (2026-07-28) — 803,000 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
Washington is not in the top 10 for flood risk among tracked cities.

How Washington Compares

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Notable Flood Events Near Washington

DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable flood events near Washington, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Flash Flood - Washington D.C. metro area, United States (July 2026) — 803,000 people exposed; $847,543M capital exposed.

Flash Flood - Washington D.C. metro area, United States

July 27, 2026 — WARNING

803,000 people exposed; $847,543M capital exposed

Flood - Washington, DC--VA--MD Region, United States

May 10, 2024 — WARNING

594,000 people exposed; $718,055M capital exposed

Flood - Washington, DC--VA--MD Region, United States

August 19, 2019 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood - Washington, DC--VA--MD Region, United States

May 6, 2019 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood - Washington, DC--VA--MD Region, United States

December 23, 2018 — 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 Washington
Score: 7/10
wildfire
Wildfire Risk in Washington
Score: 1/10
hurricane
Hurricane Risk in Washington
Score: 7/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in Washington
Score: 7/10
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in Washington
Score: 9/10
landslide
Landslide Risk in Washington
Score: 3/10
extreme-heat
Extreme Heat Risk in Washington
Score: 7/10
drought
Drought Risk in Washington
Score: 0/10
high-wind
High Wind Risk in Washington
Score: 9/10
tsunami
Tsunami Risk in Washington
Score: 0/10
flood
Flood Risk in Baltimore, MD
Score: 7/10
flood
Flood Risk in Philadelphia, PA
Score: 9/10
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Flood Risk in Virginia Beach, VA
Score: 1/10

How this data is built

Washington, DC 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.

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