What is the relative heat wave risk for the covered District of Columbia city?
Washington uses FEMA data for the District of Columbia, which has a relative heat wave score of 97.6/100.
Heat Wave Risk by City in District of Columbia
See FEMA's relative heat wave score and annualized frequency for the county-equivalent area used by this city.
FEMA area covered
97.6/100
District of Columbia
Covered cities: Washington
These are relative FEMA scores for county-equivalent areas. They are not annual probabilities or property-level findings.
District of Columbia heat wave data
Cities sharing a FEMA area are grouped together and receive the same score.
| Area | FEMA area and cities | Rating | Score | Annualized frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEMA | District of Columbia | Relatively High | 97.6/100 | 0.971 per year |
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
Preparing for heat wave
Ready.gov Be Informed ↗For a home or move
- ✓Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions.
- ✓Review policy exclusions, deductibles, and temporary-living coverage with a licensed professional.
- ✓Keep inspections, inventories, and critical documents in a secure location you can access after an emergency.
For a household plan
- ✓Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions.
- ✓Maintain water, food, lighting, medications, and communications for several days.
- ✓Create a household communication plan and practice it before an emergency.
Questions about heat wave risk in District of Columbia
Why does this city use one FEMA score?
FEMA publishes this hazard metric for the District of Columbia, not for municipal boundaries or individual properties. The city page is a way to find the FEMA area that contains each place.
Are these heat wave figures city-level?
No. The city links provide geographic navigation, while the score and frequency cover the FEMA county-equivalent area shown. Address-level conditions require local maps and property details.
Is the FEMA relative score an annual probability?
No. The relative score compares FEMA areas on a 0–100 scale. Annualized frequency appears separately with hazard-specific units.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0, released March 2023. Hazard data covers FEMA county-equivalent areas.