3,384 flood insurance claims·$66.1M paid·17 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around King County, Washington. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Riverine flooding dominates the flood history of King County, Washington, supported by NOAA storm event data recording multiple flood events alongside occurrences of flash flooding and coastal flooding over the last 30 years.
Severe weather events have historically impacted the region through a combination of heavy precipitation, high winds, and tidal surges. For example, a persistent Aleutian Low pressure system directed a series of atmospheric rivers and wind storms into Washington State between January 10 and 16, 2021, bringing heavy rain. Additionally, coastal flooding occurred between 8 AM and 11 AM during the high tide cycle on December 27, 2022, driven by King Tides, low pressure, strong winds with gusts up to 64 miles per hour, and tidal conditions 1 to 2 feet above the Higher Astronomical Tide.
National Flood Insurance Program records show significant claim distributions across multiple zones. Zone A accounts for 2,335 claims with an average payout of $25,780 and an average recorded water depth of 13 inches. Zone X includes 665 claims with an average payout of $24,953 and an average recorded water depth of 16 inches. Residents with properties in Zone A and Zone X, as well as coastal properties and those situated near rivers, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
9% of King County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
2,596 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 12 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2009, with 668 claims and $18.6M paid, the year of Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
5 NOAA storm reports from King County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Washington flood stories →
34 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 17 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Dec 9, 2025 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Jan 5, 2024 |
| Bolt Creek Fire | Sep 10, 2022 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides | Jan 30, 2017 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Jan 14, 2012 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Jan 11, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, And Flooding | Jan 6, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
9 since 1996: 1 flash floods, 7 river or area floods and 1 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Dec 27, 2022 | — |
| Flood | Jan 12, 2021 | $474,000 |
| Flood | Jan 16, 2011 | $20,000 |
| Flood | Dec 12, 2010 | $3.0M |
| Flood | Jan 7, 2009 | $14.0M |
| Flood | Nov 12, 2008 | $100,000 |
| Flash Flood | Dec 14, 2006 | $750,000 · 1 killed |
| Flood | Nov 4, 2006 | $11.1M |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Coastal Flood · Dec 27, 2022. Coastal flooding between 8 AM - 11 AM high tide cycle on 12/27. The event was a result of King Tides, coinciding with significantly strong low pressure in the area and strong winds. Wind gusts of up to 64 MPH occurred in the event as well as observed tidal conditions 1-2 feet above the HAT.
Flood · Jan 12, 2021. The period from January 10 to 16 continued a pattern of a strong and persistent Aleutian Low pressure system in the eastern Pacific that began December 29, 2020 and which directed the jet stream and primary storm track at Washington State. This resulted in a series of atmospheric rivers and wind storms that battered Washington State. Water vapor transport into Washington State averaged 160-200% of normal during t…
Flood · Jan 16, 2011. A 66 year old state DOT worker was killed when a tree fell on Highway 203 south of Carnation, hitting him and his truck. Several mudslides blocked roads.
Flood · Dec 12, 2010. The Stillaguamish River reached record level. There were several roads washed out in Kitsap county. 2 homes were damaged from mudslides.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in King County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.