Canyon County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16027 · population 230,937 · 587 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 219 records for Canyon County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 176 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (69 records). The deadliest single record is the July 7, 2002 lightning: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 4 declarations naming the county since 2005, 2 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on October 7, 2017.
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
- 219on 176 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 419 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $130Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 4latest 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 Canyon County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 69 since 1996. 64% 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 | 69 | 52 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 4 | $120M | 30 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 68 | 56 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 7 | $871K | 1 of 44 |
| Hail | 27 | 23 | 1956-2022 | 0 | 5 | – | 2 of 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 44 |
| Floods | 13 | 12 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | 8 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 7 | 7 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1986-2003 | 0 | 0 | $154K | 3 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2022-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 44 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1996-2002 | 2 | 2 | $28K | 5 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2002-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 44 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 1996-2001 | 0 | 1 | – | 29 of 44 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 1 | 0 | – | 19 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 Canyon County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Canyon County from 1986 to 2003, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd 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 Canyon 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 Canyon County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04-06 | Nampa, Canyon County | F0 1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-12-14 | Nampa, Canyon County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-17 | Parma, Canyon County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1991-04-24 | Canyon County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-07-30 | Canyon County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-09-26 | Canyon County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 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, 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 Canyon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 26, 2026 flash flood ($7.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Timing estimated by MRMS, polygon focused on the area with the largest impact and intentionally kept broad. Numerous reports received of flooded roadways, some impassable; flooding also affected houses, public buildings, and infrastructure. The Caldwell Airport ASOS reported 1.06 inches of rainfall having fell in 15 minutes. A disaster was declared for Canyon County in the aftermath. There was an estimated 7 million dollars in damages to infrastructure.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1357475)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodCaldwell, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | |
| 2025-02-13 | Winter WeatherCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-06 | Winter WeatherCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-09-06 | Excessive HeatCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-10-19 | Thunderstorm WindCaldwell, Canyon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2018-05-25 | HailMoss, Canyon County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-01 | FloodMiddleton, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $903K | |
| 2017-04-01 | FloodStoddard, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $602K | |
| 2017-03-06 | FloodStoddard, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $301K | |
| 2017-01-18 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | $120M | |
| 2013-12-07 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-04-24 | Thunderstorm WindMiddleton, Canyon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $160K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-07 | LightningCaldwell, Canyon County One man was killed instantly when struck by lightning while moving an aluminum irrigation pipe on an alfalfa farm near Sunnyslope. A second man, standing about four feet away, received serious burns to the head and shoulder. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-09-06 | Excessive HeatCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley Multiple newspapers reported on an infant that died after being left in a hot car in New Plymouth, Idaho on September 6th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-12-07 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley Reports of 5 to 6 inches were received via social media. A traffic accident attributed to slick roads resulted in one fatality on Interstate 84, 2 miles east of Caldwell. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-06-30 | LightningMelba, Canyon County A farm worker was struck and killed by lightning while working on an irrigation pipe in a farm field during a thunderstorm. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1987-06-15 | HailCanyon County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 5 | – |
| 2002-07-13 | Thunderstorm WindNampa, Canyon County Thunderstorm winds along a gust front toppled a stack of speakers from the stage of the Idaho Center Amphitheater and into the audience. Four persons were treated for injuries at a local medical center. Outflow winds continued across Canyon County and into Payette, Gem and Ada counties, bringing numerous trees and ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 4 | – |
| 2001-11-28 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley A very moist Pacific storm brought the first major snowfall to the Treasure and Magic Valleys. Snow began falling around noon and continued until the next morning. Over one hundred slide-offs and motor vehicle collisions occurred along Interstate 84 from Oregon-Idaho state line east to Twin Falls. Traffic was brought ... | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 2019-10-19 | Thunderstorm WindCaldwell, Canyon County The public in Caldwell reported several large trees and power lines down. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-18 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | $120M | |
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodCaldwell, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | |
| 2017-05-01 | FloodMiddleton, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $903K | |
| 2017-04-01 | FloodStoddard, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $602K | |
| 1996-08-26 | Thunderstorm WindSe Nampa, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2017-03-06 | FloodStoddard, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $301K | |
| 2003-04-24 | Thunderstorm WindMiddleton, Canyon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $160K |
| 1996-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindWilder, Canyon County | 0 | 0 | $56K |
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: April 24, 1991 (tornado, Canyon 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 Canyon 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 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 12 | 16 | 28 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 18 | 8 | 4 |
| Hail | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% 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 23 · Feb 10 · Mar 19 · Apr 23 · May 27 · Jun 25 · Jul 26 · Aug 23 · Sep 4 · Oct 4 · Nov 6 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Canyon County
FEMA's register lists 4 declarations that include Canyon County: 2 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-10-07 | DR-4342 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
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 Canyon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Canyon County from 1997 to 2026, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Canyon County ranks 1928th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $102,000 on 29 claims filed in Canyon County; the most in one year was 13 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 13 · 1981: 3 · 1984: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2024: 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 Canyon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Canyon County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $36.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.2M | 8.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | once in about 315 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.5M | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $24M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $323K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 420 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Canyon 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 Canyon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Canyon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)4 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis