Washington
Rainier is the most dangerous volcano in America.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone threatens a magnitude 9.0 earthquake. Mount Rainier's lahars could reach Tacoma suburbs in under an hour. Eastern Washington burns. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens proved what these mountains can do. Washington prepares for events that have not happened yet.
Enter your Washington ZIP for live alerts, forecasts, and county-specific data.
Know your region
What you prepare for depends on where in Washington you live.
Puget Sound metro
Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Bellevue, Everett. The Cascadia Subduction Zone threatens violent shaking across the region. Seattle's fill soils amplify ground motion. The Nisqually earthquake (M6.8) in 2001 caused $2 billion in damage. Lahars from Mount Rainier could reach Puyallup and Orting.
Primary hazards: earthquakes, volcanic lahars, flooding, landslides, severe storms
Washington coast
Long Beach, Westport, Ocean Shores, the Olympic Peninsula. A Cascadia tsunami could arrive within 15 to 20 minutes of a major earthquake. Coastal erosion and winter storms batter the shoreline. Atmospheric rivers cause river flooding.
Primary hazards: tsunami, earthquakes, coastal storms, flooding
Eastern Washington
Spokane, Wenatchee, Yakima, Tri-Cities, the Palouse. Massive wildfires during dry summers. The 2020 fires burned over 600,000 acres. Smoke degrades air quality statewide. Extreme cold in winter. Flash floods in desert terrain.
Primary hazards: wildfire, smoke, extreme heat, winter storms, flash floods
Your hazard profile
5 hazards that apply to Washington.
Each links to a full guide with during-event protocol, recovery steps, and resources specific to WA.
Earthquakes
The Cascadia Subduction Zone can produce a M9.0 earthquake. The 2001 Nisqually quake (M6.8) caused $2 billion damage from a much smaller event. Seattle's fill soils amplify shaking. Stock 14 days of supplies.
Read the earthquakes guide →
Wildfires
Eastern Washington burns every summer. The 2020 fires consumed 600,000 acres. Smoke reaches Seattle and degrades air quality for weeks. The wildland-urban interface around Spokane and Wenatchee faces direct fire risk.
Read the wildfires guide →
Volcanic activity
Mount Rainier is the most dangerous volcano in the U.S. due to lahar risk. Mudflows could reach populated areas downstream in under an hour. St. Helens remains active. Baker and Glacier Peak also pose threats.
Read the volcanic activity guide →
Flooding and landslides
Atmospheric rivers cause river flooding across western Washington. The Skagit, Snoqualmie, and Chehalis flood regularly. Landslides close roads and damage homes on saturated slopes.
Read the flooding and landslides guide →
Winter storms
Arctic outflow from the Gorge creates ice storms. Cascade passes close frequently. Eastern Washington experiences extreme cold. Snow in the passes exceeds 400 inches annually.
Read the winter storms guide →
Washington resources
The agencies and programs that cover your state.
WA EMD
Washington Emergency Management Division. Coordinates disaster response and leads the state's Cascadia Rising earthquake preparedness exercises.
WA Earthquake Info
Washington DNR earthquake information. Cascadia Subduction Zone maps, liquefaction zones, and lahar hazard areas.
Cascades Volcano Observatory
USGS volcano monitoring for the Cascades. Mount Rainier, St. Helens, Baker, and Glacier Peak updates, lahar maps, and eruption alerts.
WA Wildfire Info
Washington DNR wildfire tracking. Active fire maps, burn bans, smoke forecasts, and evacuation notices.
NWS Seattle
Western Washington forecasts. Atmospheric river outlooks, flood warnings, winter storm advisories, and tsunami warnings.
The next Cascadia
The earthquake is not hypothetical.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone last ruptured on January 26, 1700. Japanese records document the tsunami that crossed the Pacific. The geological record shows that these M9.0 events occur roughly every 200 to 500 years. We are 326 years into the current interval.
When Cascadia ruptures, the shaking will last 4 to 6 minutes. Buildings not retrofitted will fail. Bridges will collapse. The coast will have 15 to 20 minutes before the tsunami arrives. Infrastructure will be damaged across the entire region. Recovery will take years.
For every Washington household west of the Cascades, Cascadia preparedness is not about if. It is about when. Bolt your home to its foundation. Secure water heaters and heavy furniture. Stock 14 days of food, water, and medications. Know your tsunami evacuation route if you are on the coast. Have a communication plan that does not depend on cell towers. The earthquake has not happened yet. But the geology does not negotiate.