High Wind Risk in Washington, DC
Risk Level: Extreme — Score 9/10
Live High Wind alert status near Washington
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Live high wind map around Washington
Shows high wind warnings and events that are active right now, refreshed through the day. When none are active, the map is empty by design.
Key Risk Factors
- FEMA rates Washington's county as Very High risk for this hazard
- Estimated annual loss of $6M from this hazard type
- 27 events recorded in proximity in recent decades
- High recent activity — multiple events in the 12 months to Aug 9, 2026
- Average annual frequency: 7.9 events per year
Last significant event: Gale - Chesapeake Bay _ Tidal Potomac, Maryland, United States (2026-01-11) — 1,390 people exposed
Highest Risk Cities for High Winds
How Washington Compares
Notable High Wind Events Near Washington
DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable high wind events near Washington, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Wind - Washington, D.C. metro area, MD _ VA, United States (December 2025) — 8,970,000 people exposed; $2,286,848M capital exposed.
Wind - Washington, D.C. metro area, MD _ VA, United States
December 29, 2025 — ADVISORY
8,970,000 people exposed; $2,286,848M capital exposed
Gale - Chesapeake Bay _ Tidal Potomac, Maryland, United States
January 11, 2026 — WARNING
1,390 people exposed; $1,281M capital exposed
Gale - Chesapeake Bay region, Maryland, United States
November 16, 2025 — WATCH
1,140 people exposed; $1,207M capital exposed
Gale - Central Maryland, United States
November 16, 2025 — WARNING
446 people exposed; $1,153M capital exposed
High Winds - Northeastern United States
November 27, 2019 — WARNING
Impact data not available
High Wind Preparedness Tips
- 1.Secure loose outdoor items — patio furniture, trash cans, decorations
- 2.Trim trees and remove dead branches that could fall on structures
- 3.Reinforce garage doors and ensure roof shingles are properly fastened
- 4.Avoid driving high-profile vehicles during high wind warnings
- 5.Stay away from windows during severe wind events
Related Pages
How this data is built
Washington, DC high wind risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live high wind monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.
The data behind this page
Every score and event here comes from DisasterAWARE's hazard database — available as downloadable historical datasets and a real-time API.
Monitor High Wind Risk in Real Time
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