Coos County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41011 · population 64,845 · 1,596 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,135 records for Coos County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 728 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (553 records). 1,021 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 19, 2016 high surf, filed for the forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1964, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on July 22, 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
- 1,135on 728 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 143 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- 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 Coos County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 553 since 1998. 50% of its high wind and dust records since 1998 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Oregon'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 | 553 | 294 | 1998-2025 | 1 | 1 | $1.7M | 9 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 264 | 234 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 36 |
| Floods | 125 | 74 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.3M | 7 of 36 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 71 | 71 | 2005-2026 | 12 | 1 | $2.1M | 2 of 36 |
| Winter storms | 52 | 44 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 47 | 44 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $282K | 8 of 36 |
| Heat | 11 | 10 | 2017-2024 | 1 | 0 | – | 16 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 6 | 6 | 1967-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 36 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2013 | 0 | 1 | – | 11 of 36 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 36 |
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.
When was the last damaging storm in Coos County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 5, 2024 wildfire ($282,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Devils Knob Wildfire was discovered on September 5th at around 200 PM PST. The fire started 5 miles southeast of Tiller in Douglas County, Oregon. The fire cause is undetermined. As of 530 AM PST on September 26th, it had burned 4,149 acres, was 89% contained, 2 structures had been destroyed, and it had cost $ 16.6M.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1216344)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-02 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-17 | Frost/FreezeCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-24 | FloodMyrtle Pt, Coos County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | Frost/FreezeCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-12 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-05 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-11 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-22 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-27 | High WindCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-01-19 | High SurfCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast The 40.1 feet Eagle III commercial crab fishing vessel collided with the Coos Bay north jetty and capsized around 830 pm on 1/19/2016. The vessel had left Charleston, OR but was registered in Port Orford, OR. There were 4 people on board. The captain survived by making it to shore. One male body was found on the Coos ... | 3 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-05-09 | High SurfCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast See below. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-01-15 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast Two people were swept into the ocean by a sneaker wave at 15/1300 PST. The 31 year old male and his 3 year old son have not been found as of 31/0800 PST. The beach on which they were walking had a steep angle to the water and the seas were reported to be rough. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-10-25 | High SurfCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast A boy and his uncle were swept into the water by a rogue wave. No warning or advisories were in effect at the time. Buoy 229 offshore reported west to northwest swell with heights of 3.2 to 3.7 meters and a period of 15 to 17 seconds. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-04 | Excessive HeatCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast Strong high pressure brought excessive heat to the coastal/Coquille Valley portion of the south central Oregon coast from July 4th through July 9th. The excessive heat extended all the way to the coast during the peak of the heat wave from July 5th through July 6th. Low temperatures were in the lower 50s to lower 60s, ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-03-25 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast A 14 year old female recreating on the beach 3S Bandon died of injuries sustained when a sneaker wave caused a log to roll onto her. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-26 | High SurfCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast The 42.3' steel-hulled crab fishing vessel Sarah Jo had a crew of 3. She was crossing the Coos bar around 4 pm local time, when the crankshaft broke, possibly as a result of rough conditions. After losing power, the boat then took a breaking wave on the bar, capsized, then sank. A USCG report shortly before the ... | 1 | 0 | $615K | |
| 2010-12-14 | Strong WindCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County A large tree fell on a vehicle parked on a back road, killing the person asleep inside. Reported wind gusts on the ridges were 42-53 mph, while valley wind gusts peaked at 20-35 mph. The sheriff's deputy at the scene said the tree was healthy. | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $27K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-12-26 | FloodCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | |
| 2005-12-26 | FloodCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2005-09-19 | High SurfCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2014-10-25 | High WindCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 67 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| 2016-01-26 | High SurfCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 1 | 0 | $615K | |
| 2006-12-14 | High WindCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $439K |
| 2024-09-05 | WildfireCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County | 0 | 0 | $282K | |
| 2010-12-14 | Strong WindCoos County and Douglas County · forecast zone Central Douglas County | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $27K |
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 Coos 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 | – | – | – | – | 19 | 414 | 87 | 33 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 67 | 130 | 64 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 52 | 54 | 18 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 29 z | 35 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 16 | 16 | 19 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 6 | 16 | 14 | 11 |
Rip currents and high surf in the 2010s: 29 records against 7 in the decade before, 29 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 Coos 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?
50% of its high wind and dust records since 1998 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 234 · Feb 140 · Mar 124 · Apr 59 · May 11 · Jun 10 · Jul 9 · Aug 19 · Sep 23 · Oct 71 · Nov 124 · Dec 311 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Coos County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Coos County: 18 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and flood (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4881 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-04-13 | DR-4768 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-09-15 | DR-4562 | Fire | Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-05-02 | DR-4432 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2016-02-17 | DR-4258 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-03-02 | DR-4055 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2011-03-25 | DR-1964 | Tsunami | Tsunami Wave Surge |
| 2007-12-08 | DR-1733 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2006-03-20 | DR-1632 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-03-12 | DR-1405 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm With High Winds |
| 1997-01-23 | DR-1160 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land and Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1996-12-23 | DR-1149 | Flood | Flooding, Land, Mud Slides, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1099 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-08-02 | DR-1036 | Fishing Losses | The El Nino (the Salmon Industry) |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-413 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1972-01-21 | DR-319 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-184 | 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 Coos County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 125 flood or flash flood records for Coos County from 1999 to 2026, on 74 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Coos County ranks 953rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-09-19 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.3 million on 194 claims filed in Coos County; the most in one year was 37 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 6 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 26 · 1982: 6 · 1983: 9 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 37 · 1998: 5 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2002: 11 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 15 · 2006: 5 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 22 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 7 · 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 Coos County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Coos County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $89.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $52M | once in about 51 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $3.8M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $156K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tsunami | Relatively Moderate | $11M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $96K | once in about 2,727 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $305K | 2.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $23K | 8.7 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 Coos County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- High wind and dust storms in OregonThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Oregon recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Coos CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Coos County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis