| Natural Disaster | Description | Measurement Scale | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 74 mph (119 km/h) or higher | Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale | 1 | 5 |
| Earthquake | Sudden shaking of the Earth's surface caused by the release of energy | Moment Magnitude Scale (MMS) | 0 | 10 |
| Tsunami | A series of ocean waves caused by underwater disturbances, such as earthquakes | Tsunami Intensity Scale | 1 | 6 |
| Tornado | A violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground | Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale | 0 | 5 |
| Volcanic Eruption | The release of lava, ash, and gases from a volcano | Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) | 0 | 8 |
| Wildfire | An uncontrolled fire in a natural area, often caused by lightning or human activity | Burned Area | 0 | Varies |
| Flood | An overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry | Flood Severity | 0 | Varies |
| Drought | A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a water shortage | Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) | -10 | 10 |
| Landslide | The movement of rock, earth, or debris down a slope due to gravity | Landslide Velocity Scale | 1 | 7 |
| Avalanche | A rapid flow of snow down a slope, often triggered by weather or human activity | Avalanche Danger Scale | 1 | 5 |
| Blizzard | A severe snowstorm with high winds and low visibility | Regional Snowfall Index (RSI) | 1 | 5 |
| Hailstorm | A storm that produces hailstones, which are balls of ice that fall from the sky | TORRO Hailstorm Intensity Scale | H0 | H10 |
| Heat Wave | A prolonged period of excessively hot weather | Heat Index (HI) | 80°F | Varies |
| Cold Wave | A prolonged period of excessively cold weather | Wind Chill Index | Varies | Varies |
| Dust Storm | A strong wind that carries large amounts of dust and debris | Dust Storm Intensity | 0 | Varies |
| Sinkhole | A depression or hole in the ground caused by the collapse of the surface layer | Sinkhole Size | 0 | Varies |
| Limnic Eruption | A rare type of natural disaster where dissolved carbon dioxide suddenly erupts from deep lake water | No Scale | - | - |
| Meteor Impact | The collision of a meteoroid, asteroid, or comet with the Earth's surface | Torino Impact Hazard Scale | 0 | 10 |
| Solar Flare | A sudden, rapid, and intense variation in brightness on the Sun's surface | Solar Flare Classification System (X-class) | A1 | X28+ |
| Geomagnetic Storm | A temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by solar wind shock waves | NOAA Space Weather Scale for Geomagnetic Storms | G1 | G5 |
Here is a table on warning systems for the various disaster types, including the name of the warning system and the minimum and maximum warning levels:
| Natural Disaster | Warning System | Min Warning Level | Max Warning Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | National Hurricane Center (NHC) Alerts | Tropical Storm Watch | Hurricane Warning |
| Earthquake | Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) Systems | No Alert | Warning |
| Tsunami | Tsunami Warning System | Tsunami Watch | Tsunami Warning |
| Tornado | National Weather Service (NWS) Tornado Alerts | Tornado Watch | Tornado Emergency |
| Volcanic Eruption | Volcano Alert Levels | Normal | Warning |
| Wildfire | National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Alerts | Extreme Fire Danger | Extreme Fire Danger |
| Flood | NWS Flood Alerts | Flood Advisory | Flash Flood Emergency |
| Drought | U.S. Drought Monitor | D0 (Abnormally Dry) | D4 (Exceptional Drought) |
| Landslide | U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landslide Alerts | Landslide Watch | Landslide Warning |
| Avalanche | Avalanche Danger Scale | Low | Extreme |
| Blizzard | NWS Winter Storm Alerts | Winter Storm Watch | Blizzard Warning |
| Hailstorm | NWS Severe Thunderstorm Alerts | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | Severe Thunderstorm Warning |
| Heat Wave | NWS Heat Alerts | Excessive Heat Outlook | Excessive Heat Warning |
| Cold Wave | NWS Wind Chill Alerts | Wind Chill Advisory | Wind Chill Warning |
| Dust Storm | NWS Dust Storm Alerts | Blowing Dust Advisory | Dust Storm Warning |
| Sinkhole | No standardized warning system | - | - |
| Limnic Eruption | No standardized warning system | - | - |
| Meteor Impact | Torino Impact Hazard Scale | White Zone | Red Zone |
| Solar Flare | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Alerts | Minor (R1) | Extreme (R5) |
| Geomagnetic Storm | NOAA Space Weather Scale for Geomagnetic Storms | Minor (G1) | Extreme (G5) |
Note - Some natural disasters, such as sinkholes and limnic eruptions, do not have standardized warning systems in place.