Benton County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53005 · population 206,541 · 1,700 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 304 records for Benton County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 254 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (120 records). 216 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 July 12, 2024 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1964, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on December 12, 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
- 304on 254 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1152 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Benton County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 120 since 1997. The rank column places the county among Washington'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 | 120 | 107 | 1997-2026 | 2 | 40 | $4.0M | 14 of 39 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 52 | 28 | 1978-2020 | 0 | 0 | $70K | 4 of 39 |
| Winter storms | 35 | 34 | 1996-2022 | 2 | 8 | – | 39 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 30 | 28 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $70K | 14 of 39 |
| Hail | 14 | 12 | 1970-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 39 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 2002-2024 | 6 | 0 | – | 14 of 39 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 39 |
| Floods | 12 | 11 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 0 | $702K | 33 of 39 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 2000-2019 | 1 | 4 | $319K | 9 of 39 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1956-2020 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 11 of 39 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 39 |
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 Benton County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Benton County from 1956 to 2020, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 11th of 39 Washington counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Benton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Washington.
Every tornado record filed for Benton County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | North Richland, Benton County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-21 | Kennewick Vista Airport, Benton County | EF0 0.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2014-08-13 | North Prosser, Benton County | EF0 0.25 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-07 | Paterson, Benton County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-05-09 | Benton County | F0 10.2 mi x 80 yd | 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 Benton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 12, 2024 excessive heat (3 deaths).
The local county coroner confirmed a heat related death of a 70 year old male on July 15th, and the heat related deaths of a couple, 85 year old female and 90 year old male, on July 16th.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1206542)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-11 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Dust StormBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-01 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-12 | Excessive HeatBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-05 | Excessive HeatBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-12-11 | High WindBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 68 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-03-31 | TornadoNorth Richland, Benton County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-02-23 | Dust StormBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 2019-02-04 | Heavy SnowBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-04-27 | Strong WindBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 46 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-12 | Excessive HeatBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin The local county coroner confirmed a heat related death of a 70 year old male on July 15th, and the heat related deaths of a couple, 85 year old female and 90 year old male, on July 16th. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin Calculated heat risk at the KRLD AWOS recorded consecutive days between June 26th through June 30th of temperatures that met or exceeded excessive heat warning criteria. The GHCN station for Kennewick, WA recorded consecutive days between June 27th through July 1st of temperatures that met or exceeded excessive heat ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-16 | Ice StormBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin One traffic fatality, numerous traffic accidents, several personal injuries from slipping on ice. | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2011-12-08 | Freezing FogBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin High pressure produced stagnant conditions which led to freezing fog and snow grains in the Tri-Cities area. A one vehicle accident on slippery Interstate 84 caused a fatality to the driver. A good samaritan motorist stopped to help and was injured when another motorist lost control of their vehicle and collided with ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-07-05 | Excessive HeatBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin A Franklin county coroner confirmed that a 61 year old male east of Pasco, WA had died of hyperthermia, with alcohol intoxication a contributing factor. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-02-04 | Heavy SnowBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin Washington State Troopers reported a single vehicle rollover on Highway 395 north of Pasco due to speed and slippery road conditions. A 7 year old passenger was killed (indirect) in the crash. They were not wearing a seat belt. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-10-10 | Dust StormBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin A strong cold front pushed across the interior pacific northwest that afternoon. Strong winds picked up dust and caused a dust storm across the Lower Columbia Basin of Washington. A 13 car pile up with one person injured and one fatality resulted from the dust storm. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-06-23 | Strong WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin An upper level low pressure area off the Oregon coast, combined with daytime heating and a moist southerly flow to produce a line of locally severe thunderstorms across Walla Walla and Columbia counties. Strong winds associated with the thunderstorms blew an eastbound motorcyclist into oncoming traffic on Highway 12, ... | 43 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-04-27 | Strong WindBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 46 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2012-12-17 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 72 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $720K |
| 2010-05-03 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 67 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2009-01-08 | FloodProsser, Benton County | 0 | 0 | $623K | |
| 2002-02-07 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $492K |
| 2001-01-23 | Dense FogBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 0 | 3 | $233K | |
| 2002-01-24 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 0 | 1 | $164K | |
| 2001-04-30 | High WindBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 42 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $125K |
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 Benton 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 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 53 | 33 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 25 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 11 | 15 | 3 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 1 | 17 | 11 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Benton County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 27 · Mar 15 · Apr 19 · May 27 · Jun 24 · Jul 33 · Aug 35 · Sep 15 · Oct 20 · Nov 24 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Benton County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Benton County: 13 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (9) and fire (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-12 | EM-3629 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4481 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3427 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-04-21 | DR-4309 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2016-08-01 | FM-5142 | Fire | South Ward Gap Fire |
| 2009-08-22 | FM-2827 | Fire | Dry Creek Fire Complex |
| 2009-03-02 | DR-1825 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow |
| 2009-01-30 | DR-1817 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3227 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-03-01 | DR-1361 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2000-02-29 | FM-2311 | Fire | Two Fork Fire |
| 1997-01-17 | DR-1159 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1100 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1990-01-18 | DR-852 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1977-12-10 | DR-545 | Flood | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding |
| 1977-03-31 | EM-3037 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-12-13 | DR-492 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-414 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1964-12-29 | DR-185 | 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 Benton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 12 flood or flash flood records for Benton County from 1997 to 2019, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Benton County ranks 1267th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.5 million on 109 claims filed in Benton County; the most in one year was 34 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 7 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 5 · 1991: 1 · 1995: 6 · 1996: 34 · 1997: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 13 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 11 · 2012: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 11; 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 Benton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Benton County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $69.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $496K | 7.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $929K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $6.9M | once in about 92 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.6M | 7.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $9.6M | once in about 174 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $40M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $400K | 7.4 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Benton 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 WashingtonEvery Washington tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in WashingtonThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Washington recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Benton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Benton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis