Apache County, Arizona
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 04001 · population 65,844 · 11,198 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 810 records for Apache County, Arizona from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 491 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (317 records). 574 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 January 3, 2005 heavy snow, filed for the forecast zone White Mountains, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1970, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Greer Fire” on May 14, 2025.
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
- 810on 491 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 821 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $87Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2025
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 Apache County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 317 since 1996. 48% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in March and April. The rank column places the county among Arizona'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 317 | 160 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 19 | $157K | 7 of 15 |
| Winter storms | 216 | 129 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 0 | – | 7 of 15 |
| Floods | 107 | 82 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $312K | 15 of 15 |
| Heavy rain | 37 | 33 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 7 of 15 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 32 | 27 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 15 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 22 | 22 | 1978-2025 | 0 | 1 | $5K | 15 of 15 |
| Hail | 21 | 20 | 1990-2024 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 14 of 15 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 17 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 15 |
| Wildfires | 16 | 15 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $86M | 11 of 15 |
| Heat | 9 | 7 | 2013-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 15 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 6 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | $105K | 11 of 15 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 2006-2013 | 4 | 1 | $10K | 11 of 15 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 2010-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 15 |
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 Apache County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Apache County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Apache County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arizona.
Every tornado record filed for Apache County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-25 | Hunt Green Vly Airport, Apache County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-04 | Springerville, Apache County | EFU 0.53 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-09-13 | Dinnehotso, Apache County | EF0 7.71 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-06-17 | Sanders, Apache County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-10-20 | Sunrise Spgs, Apache County | EF0 6.93 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-10-21 | Cottonwood, Apache County | EF0 0.81 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-08-03 | Many Farms, Apache County | EF0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-22 | Rice, Apache County | EF0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-09-03 | Three Forks, Apache County | EF0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-08-30 | Alpine, Apache County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-25 | Navajo, Apache County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-16 | Concho, Apache County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-16 | St Johns, Apache County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-09-09 | Wide Ruin, Apache County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-08-14 | Apache County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-10-27 | Apache County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-10-17 | Apache County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1957-04-29 | Apache County | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Apache County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 21, 2019 wildfire ($10.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Museum Fire started about 4 miles north of Flagstaff on Sunday July 21 at around 1115 AM. The fire grew to 1,962 acres in the Dry Lake Hills area. The burn severity was 12% High, 28% moderate, 48%, and 12% very low. Much of this area drains into the Spruce Wash which runs into several communities of Flagstaff. An initial estimate of $9 million was spent on fire suppression. Extensive flood protection measures (200,000 sand bags and many jersey barriers) have been put in place below the fire scar.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 838601)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-25 | TornadoHunt Green Vly Airport, Apache County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Chuska Mountains And Defiance Plateau | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-26 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Chuska Mountains And Defiance Plateau | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-26 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Apache County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Chuska Mountains And Defiance Plateau | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Plateaus And Mesas South Of Highway 264 | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Apache County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Chuska Mountains And Defiance Plateau | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Apache County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Apache County | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-01-03 | Heavy SnowApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains A powerful winter storm began to move across northern Arizona on January 3rd and lingered into early January 5th. Widespread snowfall was reported above 5000 feet with generally 4 to 12 inches of total snowfall from 5000 to 6000 feet...12 to 20 inches from 5000 to 7000 feet...and 20 to 45 inches above 7000 feet. Heavy ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-08-20 | LightningMc Nary, Apache County Three people sought shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm. Lightning stuck the tree. One person was killed and one person as injured. This happened about 8 miles south of McNary. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2013-09-20 | LightningNazlini Airport, Apache County A man was stuck and killed by lightning while fishing from a canoe on Big Lake. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-07-12 | LightningNazlini Airport, Apache County A 46 year old man was stuck and killed by lightning at a National Forest Campground at a National Forest campground near Big Lake, Arizona. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-07-15 | LightningNazlini, Apache County A 21-year-old man from the town of Nazlini was watching a rain swollen waterfall from a metal bridge. He was struck by a lightning bolt while standing on the bridge. He was transported to a Phoenix hospital where he later died. Other individuals in the vicinity of the strike were knocked over by the shock wave but ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-12 | Winter StormApache County · forecast zone Chuska Mountains And Defiance Plateau Perhaps the largest snow storm of the decade brought heavy snow to most of northern Arizona. Heavy snow fell from early Sunday morning, the 12th, through last Tuesday night, the 14th. Four deaths from exposure occurred during, or immediately after the storm, on the Navajo Nation Reservation and were directly related ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-12 | Winter StormApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone Chinle Valley Perhaps the largest snow storm of the decade brought heavy snow to most of northern Arizona. Heavy snow fell from early Sunday morning, the 12th, through last Tuesday night, the 14th. Four deaths from exposure occurred during, or immediately after the storm, on the Navajo Nation Reservation and were directly related ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-03-31 | High WindApache County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Plateaus And Mesas South Of Highway 264 Very strong pre frontal southerly winds wrecked havoc across northern Arizona this afternoon. Early in the event, 90 mph (78kt) winds were measured at the Meteor Crater. Other peak wind gusts include 93 mph (81 kt) at the Winslow Airport, 104 mph (90kt) at the St. Johns Airport, and 60 mph (52 kt) at the Petrified ... | 0 | 17 | $4K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | WildfireApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains | 0 | 0 | $76M | |
| 2019-07-21 | WildfireApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone Black Mesa Area | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2009-04-15 | High WindApache County · forecast zone Chuska Mountains And Defiance Plateau | 51 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $69K |
| 1999-03-31 | High WindApache County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Plateaus And Mesas South Of Highway 264 | 0 | 17 | $4K |
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 Apache 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 22 | 78 | 120 | 97 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 52 | 84 | 59 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 26 | 48 | 31 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 26 | 3 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 3 | 13 | 13 | 3 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in March and April. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 73 · Feb 113 · Mar 94 · Apr 110 · May 64 · Jun 38 · Jul 86 · Aug 79 · Sep 37 · Oct 31 · Nov 22 · Dec 63 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Apache County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Apache County: 9 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and fire (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-14 | FM-5584 | Fire | Greer Fire |
| 2021-09-13 | DR-4620 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4524 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3442 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-06-02 | FM-2915 | Fire | Wallow Fire |
| 2010-03-18 | DR-1888 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-01-24 | EM-3307 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3241 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-17 | DR-1581 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-06-09 | FM-2520 | Fire | Three Forks Fire |
| 2002-06-25 | DR-1422 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1993-01-19 | DR-977 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1983-10-05 | DR-691 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-03-04 | DR-551 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-04-15 | EM-3038 | Drought | Drought |
| 1970-09-22 | DR-294 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flash |
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 Apache County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 107 flood or flash flood records for Apache County from 1996 to 2025, on 82 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Apache County ranks 2358th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $18,000 on 10 claims filed in Apache County; the most in one year was 1 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 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 Apache County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Apache County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $21.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | $2.3M | 53 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $6.0M | once in about 168 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $224K | 6.2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $52K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $11M | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $371K | once in about 1,015 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $831K | once in about 48 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $53K | once in about 67 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Apache 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 ArizonaEvery Arizona tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in ArizonaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Arizona recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Apache CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Apache County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis