DisasterAWARE
9
Extreme

winter-storm Winter Storm Risk in Washington, DC

Risk Level: Extreme — Score 9/10

FEMA: 9Historical: 10

Live Winter Storm alert status near Washington

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Live winter storm activity around Washington — refreshed throughout the day.

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Key Risk Factors

  • FEMA rates Washington's county as Very High risk for this hazard
  • Estimated annual loss of $946K from this hazard type
  • 15 events recorded in proximity in recent decades
  • 4 event(s) in the last 12 months
  • Average annual frequency: 10.1 events per year

Peak season: December-March

Last significant event: Winter Weather - Washington, D.C. metro, United States (2026-02-22) — 4,740,000 people exposed

Highest Risk Cities for Winter Storms

1
New York, NY
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
2
Chicago, IL
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
3
Houston, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 7
4
Philadelphia, PA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
5
Dallas, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 3
6
Columbus, OH
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
7
Washington, DC
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
8
Oklahoma City, OK
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
9
El Paso, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
10
Memphis, TN
FEMA: 9Historical: 10

How Washington Compares

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Notable Winter Storm Events Near Washington

DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable winter storm events near Washington, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Winter Storm - Northeastern, United States (January 2025) — 14,500,000 people exposed; $3,305,094M capital exposed.

Winter Storm - Northeastern, United States

January 4, 2025 — WARNING

14,500,000 people exposed; $3,305,094M capital exposed

Winter Storm - Southeastern, United States

January 4, 2025 — WARNING

11,600,000 people exposed; $2,726,958M capital exposed

Winter Weather - Washington, D.C. metro, United States

February 21, 2026 — ADVISORY

4,740,000 people exposed; $1,572,473M capital exposed

Winter Storm - Southern Maryland and Central/Northern Virginia, United States

January 24, 2026 — WARNING

785,000 people exposed; $98,903M capital exposed

Winter Storms - Mid Atlantic, United States

November 13, 2018 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Winter Storm Preparedness Tips

  • 1.Stock emergency supplies including extra blankets, food, water, and medications
  • 2.Insulate pipes and know how to shut off water in case of pipe bursts
  • 3.Keep your vehicle's gas tank at least half full during winter months
  • 4.Have alternative heating sources and carbon monoxide detectors
  • 5.Stay off roads during ice storms and heavy snow events

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
flood
Flood Risk in Washington
Score: 7/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in Washington
Score: 7/10
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
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in Baltimore, MD
Score: 9/10
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in Philadelphia, PA
Score: 9/10
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in Virginia Beach, VA
Score: 3/10

How this data is built

Washington, DC winter storm risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live winter storm monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.

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