Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad: South Cle Elum Yard · Photo: Jayedgerton · CC BY-SA 3.0Storms, floods and disasters in South Cle Elum
South Cle Elum isn’t graded for hazard risk: South Cle Elum has 579 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2009.
What South Cle Elum faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
River and rain flooding
Wildfire
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
Does South Cle Elum flood? Rarely: 1 flood claim since 2009
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in South Cle Elum, from FEMA’s records.
South Cle Elum isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Kittitas County.2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to South Cle Elum
Disasters that paid out in South Cle Elum itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Town of South Cle Elum), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2009Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding4 households applied for aid$52K to the Town of South Cle Elum for repairs1 flood claim paid that year
- 2008Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow$2K to the Town of South Cle Elum for repairs
Kittitas County has had 17 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Also 8 FEMA wildfire suppression grants (Fire Management Assistance, not a disaster declaration) for fires in Kittitas County, 2004–2018.
Old photos of South Cle Elum after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the South Cle Elum archive →South Cle Elum and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cle Elum | Dmore damage than 89% | river and rain flooding | 8 |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what South Cle Elum faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- Clear dead leaves and brush within 5 feet of the house.
- Sign up for local alerts and know two ways out.
- Keep N95 masks for smoky days.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in South Cle Elum
Does South Cle Elum flood?
Flood insurance has paid 1 claim in South Cle Elum since 2009, $8K in all.
Is South Cle Elum in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Kittitas County, 2.3% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.
How much is flood insurance in South Cle Elum?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for South Cle Elum’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
What was the biggest storm in South Cle Elum?
By FEMA money that reached South Cle Elum, Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding (2009): 4 households applied for aid, $0 approved, and $52K to the Town of South Cle Elum for repairs.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in South Cle Elum.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where South Cle Elum’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.