FEMA rates relative strong wind risk for the District of Columbia as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 7.539 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for the District of Columbia reports FEMA annualized frequency of 7.539 per year for strong wind. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for District of Columbia.
Strong Wind
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
98.7/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across District of Columbia. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Washington, FEMA rates strong wind risk for the District of Columbia as very high, with a relative score of 98.7/100. The next highest relative scores are heat wave at 97.6/100 and riverine flooding at 95.9/100.
Washington is the only covered District of Columbia entry for strong wind risk, using FEMA data for the District of Columbia. Arlington is about 4.9 straight-line miles from the Washington map point; its FEMA figures cover Arlington County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Washington? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Washington. All FEMA figures on this page cover the District of Columbia.
The FEMA figures cover the District of Columbia. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative strong wind risk for the District of Columbia as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 7.539 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 1 District of Columbia cities covered by this directory, Washington is #1 for relative strong wind risk based on FEMA's score for the District of Columbia. Homes within Washington can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for the District of Columbia, the highest relative ratings are Strong Wind (Very High), Heat Wave (Relatively High), and Riverine Flooding (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover the District of Columbia. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives the District of Columbia an overall relative risk rating of relatively moderate. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Strong Wind rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, VA | 5 mi | Relatively Moderate | 84.7 |
| Alexandria, VA | 7 mi | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 |
| Waldorf, MD | 21 mi | Relatively Moderate | 76.0 |
| Columbia, MD | 22 mi | Relatively High | 91.2 |
| Baltimore, MD | 35 mi | Relatively High | 96.6 |
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View productHazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.