Clearwater County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16035 · population 8,728 · 2,457 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 516 records for Clearwater County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 378 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (347 records). 420 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 August 10, 2015 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region, which covers the county: 1 death, 1 injury and $10.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1964, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on June 30, 2026.
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
- 516on 378 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $31Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2026
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 Clearwater County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 347 since 1996. 47% 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 | 347 | 273 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $10M | 23 of 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | 46 | 38 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $691K | 31 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 39 | 30 | 1970-2022 | 0 | 0 | $286K | 34 of 44 |
| Hail | 35 | 22 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 0 | $663K | 27 of 44 |
| Floods | 14 | 11 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | 39 of 44 |
| Heat | 11 | 7 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 4 | 2011-2018 | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | 28 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 4 | 2019-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 2 | 1997-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 44 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 2008-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 44 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2015-2020 | 1 | 1 | $13M | 37 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 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 Clearwater County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Clearwater County from 2007 to 2007, 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 1 tornado whose track touched Clearwater County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Idaho.
Every tornado record filed for Clearwater County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-06-29 | Orofino, Clearwater County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 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 Clearwater County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 28, 2026 hail ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-28 | HailDent, Clearwater County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-28 | HailWeippe, Clearwater County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Frost/FreezeClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-18 | Frost/FreezeClearwater County · forecast zone Northern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-25 | Frost/FreezeClearwater County · forecast zone Northern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | FloodAhsahka, Clearwater County | 0 | 0 | $510K | |
| 2026-03-11 | Winter WeatherClearwater County · forecast zone Northern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter WeatherClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter WeatherClearwater County · forecast zone Northern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherClearwater County · forecast zone Northern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $140K |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindClearwater County · forecast zone Northern Clearwater Mountains | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-08-10 | WildfireClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region KREM news reported The Lawyer Complex has burned 42 homes and 75 other buildings, according to Northern Rockies Incident Management Team. The National situation reported 118 structures lost (as of the last report 9/10/2015) with the cost of fighting the fire at 25 million dollars. The Idaho County Sheriff's Office ... | 1 | 1 | $11M | |
| 2018-02-05 | Heavy RainGreer, Clearwater County Heavy rain lead to a fallen tree across U.S. Highway 12 near milepost 52 and subsequent car accident at 4:08 am on the 5th. One person was injured in the incident and the highway was blocked for one and a half hours. | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | |
| 1997-03-30 | High WindClearwater County · forecast zone Clearwater T X Sw | 0 | 1 | $18K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-08-10 | WildfireClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 1 | 1 | $11M | |
| 2008-02-08 | Heavy SnowClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2017-03-16 | FloodAhsahka, Clearwater County | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2020-09-07 | WildfireClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2018-02-05 | Heavy RainGreer, Clearwater County | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | |
| 2026-03-13 | FloodAhsahka, Clearwater County | 0 | 0 | $510K | |
| 2014-08-14 | HailWeippe, Clearwater County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $348K |
| 2014-08-14 | HailWeippe, Clearwater County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $312K |
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 Clearwater 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 | – | – | – | – | 35 | 154 | 90 | 68 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 14 | 11 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% 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 77 · Feb 79 · Mar 37 · Apr 25 · May 26 · Jun 30 · Jul 18 · Aug 23 · Sep 8 · Oct 13 · Nov 72 · Dec 108 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Clearwater County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Clearwater County: 12 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (4) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4917 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4905 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-05-18 | DR-4313 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-15 | FM-5105 | Fire | Municipal Fire |
| 2011-05-20 | DR-1987 | Flood | Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2000-09-01 | DR-1341 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1154 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1996-02-11 | DR-1102 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1980-05-22 | DR-624 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-415 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1967-08-30 | DR-231 | Fire | Forest Fires |
| 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 Clearwater County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Clearwater County from 1996 to 2026, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Clearwater County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $37,000 on 8 claims filed in Clearwater County; the most in one year was 3 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 2 · 1996: 3 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 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 Clearwater County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clearwater County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $239K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.9M | once in about 115 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | $457K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $25K | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $80K | 2.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $25K | once in about 715 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $53 | 30 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 Clearwater 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 Clearwater CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Clearwater County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis