Adams County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16003 · population 4,357 · 1,363 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 224 records for Adams County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 196 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (164 records). 188 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the October 29, 2009 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone West Central Mountains, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1974, 7 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Four Corners Fire” on August 19, 2022.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 224on 196 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 23 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $959Kas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 2022
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Adams County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 164 since 1996. 60% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Idaho's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 164 | 145 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 1 | – | 25 of 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 11 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 38 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 13 | 13 | 1975-2025 | 0 | 1 | $68K | 37 of 44 |
| Floods | 9 | 8 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $465K | 34 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 4 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 44 |
| Hail | 7 | 7 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1958-2006 | 0 | 1 | $407K | 27 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 44 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 1 | 0 | – | 30 of 44 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Adams County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Adams County from 1958 to 2006, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 3 tornadoes whose track touched Adams County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Idaho.
Every tornado record filed for Adams County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-04 | Bear, Adams County | F2 12 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 1 | $146K |
| 1992-07-22 | Adams County | F0 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-06-27 | Adams County | F1 5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Adams County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 7, 2019 flood ($465,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Adams County emergency manager reported flooding and flash flooding including debris flow throughout the county.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 813450)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-28 | HailCouncil, Adams County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | Thunderstorm WindCuprum, Adams County | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-06 | Winter WeatherAdams County and 3 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-02 | Winter StormAdams County and 3 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-04-07 | FloodStarkey, Adams County | 0 | 0 | $465K | |
| 2009-12-17 | AvalancheAdams County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-10-29 | Winter WeatherAdams County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-06-04 | TornadoBear, Adams County | F2 12 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 1 | $146K |
| 2004-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindMeadows, Adams County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindAdams County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1992-07-22 | TornadoAdams County | F0 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-08-22 | Thunderstorm WindAdams County | 0 | 0 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10-29 | Winter WeatherAdams County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains KTVB in Boise, Idaho reported a fatality on U.S. Highway 95 , north of New Meadows. According to Idaho State Police, the automobile accident was caused by freezing rain and ice on the roadway. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2009-12-17 | AvalancheAdams County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains Idaho Mountain Express reported that a young man died in an avalanche while snowmobiling at Rock Lake in the French Creek drainage outside of Cascade, Idaho. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-06-04 | TornadoBear, Adams County F2 Tornado started at 2 miles west of Bear and moved to 12 miles north east of Bear. Extensive forest damage but minimal structural damage to homes. 1 pickup truck destroyed. Trees down in camp site detroyed tents and camping gear. Injury to one individual with a broken collar bone. | F2 12 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 1 | $146K |
| 1993-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindAdams County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-07 | FloodStarkey, Adams County | 0 | 0 | $465K | |
| 2006-06-04 | TornadoBear, Adams County | F2 12 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 1 | $146K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 27, 1958 (tornado, Adams County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Adams County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 33 | 67 | 28 | 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
60% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 40 · Feb 31 · Mar 13 · Apr 10 · May 8 · Jun 11 · Jul 3 · Aug 7 · Sep 4 · Oct 4 · Nov 26 · Dec 67 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Adams County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Adams County: 5 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-19 | FM-5449 | Fire | Four Corners Fire |
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-06-12 | DR-4443 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2010-07-27 | DR-1927 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1154 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1977-05-05 | EM-3040 | Drought | Drought |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-415 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Adams County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Adams County from 1996 to 2019, on 8 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Adams County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9,389 on 4 claims filed in Adams County; the most in one year was 1 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2014: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Adams County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Adams County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.1 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $913K | once in about 15 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $5.4M | once in about 63 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $58K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $39K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.5M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $106K | once in about 238 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $43K | 1.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $0 | once in about 5,000 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Adams County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in IdahoEvery Idaho tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in IdahoThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Idaho recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Adams CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Adams County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis