Bonneville County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16019 · population 123,895 · 1,866 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 929 records for Bonneville County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 628 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (397 records). 699 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 December 17, 2021 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Big Hole Mountains, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1964, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Henrys Creek Fire” on August 25, 2016.
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
- 929on 628 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2027 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $672Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2020
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 Bonneville County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 397 since 1996. 48% 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 | 397 | 260 | 1996-2026 | 7 | 6 | $2.2M | 17 of 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | 172 | 124 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 11 | $6.2M | 4 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 133 | 89 | 1956-2026 | 1 | 0 | $420K | 8 of 44 |
| Wildfires | 57 | 54 | 2001-2025 | 0 | 0 | $607M | 10 of 44 |
| Hail | 44 | 34 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 6 | $35M | 16 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 41 | 26 | 2001-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 6 of 44 |
| Floods | 28 | 25 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 16 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 10 | 1996-2023 | 1 | 0 | $6K | 14 of 44 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 10 | 10 | 2007-2024 | 9 | 1 | – | 12 of 44 |
| Heat | 9 | 7 | 2002-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 9 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 4 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | 24 of 44 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 2004-2025 | 0 | 2 | $840K | 6 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1978-2017 | 0 | 1 | $12M | 21 of 44 |
| Drought | 4 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 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 Bonneville County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Bonneville County from 1978 to 2017, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 21st of 44 Idaho 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Bonneville County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Idaho.
Every tornado record filed for Bonneville County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-11-17 | Iona, Bonneville County | EF0 5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $241 |
| 2000-02-14 | Cotton, Bonneville County | F1 6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $257K |
| 1995-06-08 | Idaho Falls, Bonneville County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-24 | Bonneville County | F0 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-04-21 | Bonneville County | F1 1.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-04-07 | Bonneville County | F2 1.5 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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 Bonneville County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 29, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | High WindBingham County and 3 more · forecast zone Arco-Mud Lake Desert | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | High WindBonneville County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | High WindBonneville County and 2 more · forecast zone Big Hole Mountains | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | High WindBingham County and 3 more · forecast zone Arco-Mud Lake Desert | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindIona, Bonneville County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $200 |
| 2026-05-16 | High WindBingham County and 3 more · forecast zone Arco-Mud Lake Desert | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindOsgood, Bonneville County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindOzone, Bonneville County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindOsgood, Bonneville County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindOsgood, Bonneville County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindOsgood, Bonneville County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindIona, Bonneville County | 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-17 | AvalancheBonneville County and 2 more · forecast zone Big Hole Mountains An avalanche near Driggs and Relay Ridge killed two teenage boys at around 2:45 PM on December 17th. It was in a backcountry area with one snow mobiler and one skier killed in the avalanche. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-11-27 | Heavy SnowBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain Widespread snow of generally between 2 and 5 inches fell in the Snake River Plain in the first significant snowfall of the season. One fatal accident occurred around 12 pm near American Falls on interstate 86 when a truck crossed from the west bound lane into the east bound lane killing an elderly couple. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-11-28 | Winter StormBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain Two to 4 inches of snow fell in the region creating extremely icy road conditions the morning of the 28th. A rollover caused one fatality on Highway 20 near Rexburg at around 8 am. Several other crashes and slideoffs were also reported. One rollover on interstate 15 near Shelley caused several to be taken to a local ... | 1 | 3 | $25K | |
| 2022-12-17 | Freezing FogBonneville County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain A fatal accident occurred on December 17th at 715 Pm MST on S 15th St E in Idaho Falls near Sandy Downs. It was suspected weather may have been a factor as low visibility in fog and icy roads may have occurred. A car slid off the road and a second vehicle was attempting to get the vehicle out of the snow. A third ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-12-25 | Cold/Wind ChillBonneville County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain A 30 year old man was found dead in a field near Parker Idaho. The cause was believed to be extended exposure to cold air. At the time of death wind chill temperatures were in the teens. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-04-06 | Winter WeatherBonneville County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain Two to 4 inches of snow fell in the Idaho Falls and Rigby area and several slide offs occurred on interstate 15. One of the slide offs resulted in an unfortunate indirect accident. An indirect death occurred on interstate 15 in Idaho Falls when a car slid off the highway into the median and a pedestrian walking across ... | 1 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2020-04-03 | AvalancheBonneville County and 2 more · forecast zone Big Hole Mountains A 46 year old back country snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche during the afternoon of April 3rd. It occurred in the Austin Canyon area north of Mount Baird and Palisades Reservoir. The individual was wearing a rescue beacon but it was not activated. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-04-01 | AvalancheBonneville County and 2 more · forecast zone Big Hole Mountains A 28 year old man was killed snowboarding in a back country avalanche near Taylor Mountain and Teton Pass during the afternoon of April 1st. His rescue beacon was turned off. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-28 | WildfireBannock County and 3 more · forecast zone Caribou Highlands | 0 | 0 | $607M | |
| 2018-04-07 | HailIdaho Falls, Bonneville County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $35M |
| 2002-04-23 | High WindBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.9M |
| 2022-07-02 | LightningIona, Bonneville County | 0 | 1 | $807K | |
| 2023-05-23 | Flash FloodIdaho Falls, Bonneville County | 0 | 0 | $775K | |
| 2017-10-14 | Heavy SnowBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain | 0 | 0 | $752K | |
| 2004-01-01 | BlizzardBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain | 0 | 1 | $344K | |
| 2000-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Bonneville County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $343K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 7, 1978 (tornado, Bonneville 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 Bonneville 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 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 100 | 115 | 157 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 19 | 52 | 95 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 33 | 51 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 43 z | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 12 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Wildfires in the 2010s: 43 records against 8 in the decade before, 43 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Bonneville County days with a record above.
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 winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 110 · Feb 130 · Mar 76 · Apr 62 · May 71 · Jun 76 · Jul 78 · Aug 74 · Sep 36 · Oct 35 · Nov 50 · Dec 131 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bonneville County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Bonneville County: 4 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-08-25 | FM-5151 | Fire | Henrys Creek Fire |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1997-06-13 | DR-1177 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Snowmelt, Land/Mud Slides, Flooding |
| 1976-06-06 | DR-505 | Flood | Dam Collapse, Flooding |
| 1964-12-31 | DR-186 | 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 Bonneville County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for Bonneville County from 1997 to 2025, on 25 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bonneville County ranks 2155th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $40,000 on 17 claims filed in Bonneville County; the most in one year was 2 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2026: 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 Bonneville County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bonneville County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $64.7 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 | $3.8M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $12M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.5M | 36 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $142K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $16M | once in about 31 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | once in about 186 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.1M | 0.7 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 Bonneville 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 Bonneville CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bonneville County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis