Alpine County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06003 · population 1,198 · 738 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,669 records for Alpine County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 847 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (1,274 records). 1,625 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 February 15, 2026 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area, which covers the county: 9 deaths. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1964, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 3, 2023.
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
- 1,669on 847 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 4897 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $722Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2023
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 Alpine County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 1,274 since 1996. 41% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among California'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 | 1,274 | 622 | 1996-2026 | 18 | 20 | $1.9M | 1 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 247 | 187 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $6.4M | 5 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 35 | 31 | 1996-2026 | 19 | 12 | $3K | 4 of 57 |
| Drought | 31 | 31 | 2015-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 26 | 18 | 2003-2024 | 0 | 0 | $798K | 10 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 25 | 25 | 2007-2024 | 2 | 62 | $712M | 10 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 2003-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 57 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 2021-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 1997-2025 | 7 | 0 | – | 33 of 57 |
| Hail | 5 | 4 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 24 of 57 |
| Floods | 4 | 3 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 1 | $1.5M | 54 of 57 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 2 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 57 |
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.
When was the last damaging storm in Alpine County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 15, 2026 avalanche (9 deaths).
Nevada Co Sheriff responded to a report of avalanche just north of Frog Lake near Castle Peak during the afternoon on the 17th. The avalanche caught a buried 15 backcountry skiers, resulting in 9 fatalities.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1316161)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-21 | Heavy SnowCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Sierra Nevada Of Calaveras-Tuolumne-Southern Alpine Counties Above 5000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | Heavy SnowEl Dorado County and 2 more · forecast zone Sierra Nevada Of El Dorado-Amador-Northern Alpine Counties Above 5000 Ft Including Highway 50 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | Winter WeatherAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-11 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-10 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | High WindAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 119 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-24 | High WindAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | AvalancheAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 9 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Winter StormAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 5 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-15 | AvalancheAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area Nevada Co Sheriff responded to a report of avalanche just north of Frog Lake near Castle Peak during the afternoon on the 17th. The avalanche caught a buried 15 backcountry skiers, resulting in 9 fatalities. | 9 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-18 | Cold/Wind ChillAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada Placer County Sheriff reported the missing hikers entered the water on June 18th and did not surface. Their bodies were recovered on June 22nd. Air temperatures at the time were in the mid 70s to 80s at the time of the report with water temperatures in the 40s to 50s. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-09-09 | WildfireAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada There were 70,868 acres were burned in the Butte Fire, the 7th most destructive fire in California history. There were 475 residences and 343 outbuildings destroyed, and 45 structures damaged. In the fire there were 2 civilian fatalities and 1 injury. The cause has tentatively been attributed to a PG&E power line ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-05-14 | Cold/Wind ChillAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada Tuolumne County Sheriff has confirmed two deaths at Gods Bath Swimming Hole along the Clavey River in Stanislaus National Forest. Originally reported as 3 victims in the search and rescue, 2 were then confirmed deceased and one is recovering. Appears to be cold-water / swift-water related, as water temperatures are in ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-03-04 | Winter WeatherAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada A mother and son died after returning from a day of skiing to their vacation condominium in Kirkwood. A chunk of snow about the size of a trailer fell from the roof of their vacation condominium, burying them under about 3 feet of snow. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-10-10 | Winter WeatherAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, a couple from San Mateo, California were killed when their automobile slid across the centerline of Highway 89 near Sugar Pine State Park (on the west shore of Lake Tahoe) at around 11:20 am PDT on Friday, October 10th. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured. According to ... | 2 | 0 | $14K | |
| 1996-12-20 | Winter StormAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area A powerful winter storm ravaged the Greater Lake Tahoe area over a two and a half day period. The main portion of the storm dumped heavy snow over the region from late Friday night (20th) into early Sunday morning (22nd). The cold moist flow continued into early Monday morning, but snowfall amounts were not as ... | 2 | 0 | $141K | |
| 1999-02-06 | AvalancheAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada Four individuals were buried while sledding outside their lakeside cabin near the Sugar Bowl ski resort. Three of the individuals were able to dig themselves out and only sustained minor injuries. The fourth died of cardiac arrest after being trapped in the snow for six hours. | 1 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-06-24 | WildfireAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 3 | $712M | |
| 2014-12-30 | High WindAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $997K |
| 2008-01-04 | High WindAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2002-04-15 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 4 | $820K | |
| 2022-08-03 | Heavy RainMarkleeville, Alpine County | 0 | 0 | $798K | |
| 2017-01-08 | High WindAlpine County and 6 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $578K |
| 2010-12-17 | Winter StormAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 2 | $541K | |
| 2002-11-07 | High WindAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $492K |
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 Alpine 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 | – | – | – | – | 149 | 411 | 346 | 368 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 54 | 51 | 131 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 4 | 5 | 14 | 12 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 17 | 6 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 331 · Feb 289 · Mar 242 · Apr 142 · May 41 · Jun 20 · Jul 24 · Aug 20 · Sep 25 · Oct 63 · Nov 171 · Dec 301 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Alpine County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Alpine County: 10 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-03 | DR-4699 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-03-10 | EM-3592 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-01-14 | DR-4683 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-09-01 | EM-3571 | Fire | Caldor Fire |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-04-01 | DR-4308 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2006-02-03 | DR-1628 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1155 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1995-03-12 | DR-1046 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow |
| 1993-02-03 | DR-979 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Mud & Land Slides, & Flooding |
| 1986-02-21 | DR-758 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-01-20 | EM-3023 | Drought | Drought |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-183 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Alpine County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 4 flood or flash flood records for Alpine County from 1997 to 2021, on 3 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Alpine County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $46,000 on 5 claims filed in Alpine County; the most in one year was 3 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1998: 3 · 2016: 2; 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 Alpine County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Alpine County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.8 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 | $1.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | once in about 98 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $61K | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $309K | once in about 26 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $0 | once in about 1,429 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $1.4M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $5K | 1.3 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Alpine County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Winter storms in CaliforniaThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The California recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Alpine CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Alpine County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis