Cowlitz County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53015 · population 110,649 · 1,141 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 488 records for Cowlitz County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 316 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (255 records). 429 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 14, 2021 frost/freeze, filed for the forecast zone South Washington Cascades, which covers the county: 1 death, 1 injury and $22,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1964, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 7, 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
- 488on 316 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 714 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.4Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Cowlitz County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 255 since 1996. 51% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 255 | 160 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 6 | $2.0M | 6 of 39 |
| High wind and dust storms | 126 | 99 | 1998-2025 | 2 | 0 | $1.1B | 8 of 39 |
| Floods | 38 | 27 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $291M | 5 of 39 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 12 | 2001-2017 | 0 | 4 | $2.6M | 6 of 39 |
| Heat | 12 | 7 | 2006-2022 | 2 | 1 | – | 17 of 39 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 6 | 1998-2024 | 1 | 1 | $22K | 10 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 5 | 2008-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 7 | 5 | 1997-2024 | 1 | 0 | $97K | 16 of 39 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1965-2024 | 0 | 0 | $530K | 6 of 39 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 4 | 1984-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 39 |
| Hail | 3 | 3 | 2003-2022 | 1 | 1 | $7K | 22 of 39 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2001-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 39 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 39 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 1 | – | 22 of 39 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 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 Cowlitz County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Cowlitz County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 6th 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 Cowlitz 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 Cowlitz County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-28 | Longview, Cowlitz County | EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-10-23 | Longview, Cowlitz County | EF1 1.3 mi x 66 yd | 0 | 0 | $227K |
| 2004-06-06 | Kalama, Cowlitz County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $156 |
| 1985-03-28 | Cowlitz County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-11-10 | Cowlitz County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Cowlitz County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 13, 2025 heavy snow (6 injuries and $44,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A trained spotter measured 3.5 inches of snow at 1800 2/13 with local storm reports indicating 2-3.5 inches of snowfall across the forecast zone. Additionally, due to the snow there was a 22 vehicle collision, involving multiple commercial vehicles & passenger cars in Lewis & Cowlitz Counties. 6 people were transported to 3 area hospitals.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1235769)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-06 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-05 | High WindPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-14 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-12 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-15 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowCowlitz County · forecast zone Cowlitz County Lowlands | 0 | 6 | $44K | |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-01 | Heavy SnowPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-30 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-14 | Frost/FreezeCowlitz County and Skamania County · forecast zone South Washington Cascades Rain and snow showers occurred overnight, with clearing skies and temperatures dipping to or below freezing in the morning. A vehicle, carrying high school students on their way to school, slid and crashed into a fence and a house around 8am in the morning. | 1 | 1 | $22K | |
| 2024-03-30 | AvalancheSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades Time of incident unknown, but it was daylight when the incident occurred so used sunrise to sunset times. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-05-19 | HailLexington, Cowlitz County Washington State Patrol reported all lanes of I5 closed around exit 42 due to traffic accidents attributed to hail accumulating on pavement. Three to five vehicles involved in accidents. There was one fatality and one injury. Note: Hail size estimated from other reports in the region. | 0.25 in hail | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatCowlitz County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone Lower Columbia Very hot temperatures. There were three consecutive days with maximum temperatures greater than 100 degrees. Maximum temperatures were around 108 degrees on June 27 and June 28. There was one death reported due to heat related illness. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-08-18 | Excessive HeatClark County and 2 more · forecast zone Southern Washington Cascade Foothills Temperatures around 100 degrees lead to people seeking relief at local rivers. One drowning was reported at Paradise Point State Park west of La Center during this hot spell. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-12-02 | High WindCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior Wind gust recorded at the Abernathy RAWS. NOTE: Damage estimates are for the entire Southwest Interior of Washington, and the majority of the damage occurred in the Wallapa Hills of Wahkiakum county. Other winds were also recorded at the Abernathy RAWS site. A woman, unknown age from Seaview, WA died when her house ... | 68 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $199K |
| 2006-02-03 | Strong WindCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior A strong winter storm brought high winds to portions of southwest Washington. Following are some high winds reported with this storm:Bay Center reported frequent gusts to 50 knotsOcean Park reported frequent gusts to 63 knotsToke Point reported 39 knots with gusts to 54 knotsTongue Point reported 35 knots with gusts ... | 43 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $110K |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowCowlitz County · forecast zone Cowlitz County Lowlands A trained spotter measured 3.5 inches of snow at 1800 2/13 with local storm reports indicating 2-3.5 inches of snowfall across the forecast zone. Additionally, due to the snow there was a 22 vehicle collision, involving multiple commercial vehicles & passenger cars in Lewis & Cowlitz Counties. 6 people were ... | 0 | 6 | $44K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-08 | High WindCowlitz County and Skamania County · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1B |
| 2020-09-17 | FloodLongview, Cowlitz County | 0 | 0 | $285M | |
| 2015-12-08 | High WindCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.5M |
| 2015-12-08 | FloodKelso, Cowlitz County | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2015-12-08 | Heavy RainLongview, Cowlitz County | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2015-12-09 | FloodCastle Rock, Cowlitz County | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2015-12-21 | High WindCowlitz County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone Lower Columbia | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2008-12-20 | Winter StormCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 0 | 0 | $947K |
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: November 10, 1965 (tornado, Cowlitz County); March 28, 1985 (tornado, Cowlitz 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 Cowlitz 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 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 93 | 84 | 71 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 38 | 67 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 16 | 8 | 6 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% 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 98 · Feb 83 · Mar 50 · Apr 17 · May 2 · Jun 6 · Jul 8 · Aug 6 · Sep 13 · Oct 17 · Nov 62 · Dec 126 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cowlitz County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Cowlitz County: 21 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (11) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4906 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-04-28 | DR-4775 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2022-03-29 | DR-4650 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021-04-08 | DR-4593 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4481 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3427 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-02-02 | DR-4253 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and A T |
| 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 |
| 2006-12-12 | DR-1671 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3227 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-03-01 | DR-1361 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1998-10-16 | DR-1255 | Mud/Landslide | Wa Landslide 3/6/98 |
| 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 |
| 1996-01-03 | DR-1079 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Wind, and Flooding |
| 1986-12-15 | DR-784 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1986-03-19 | DR-762 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1977-12-10 | DR-545 | Flood | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding |
| 1975-12-13 | DR-492 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-02-01 | DR-322 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Cowlitz County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Cowlitz County from 1996 to 2023, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cowlitz County ranks 424th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $14.9 million on 684 claims filed in Cowlitz County; the most in one year was 168 in 1980. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 168 · 1981: 6 · 1982: 11 · 1983: 16 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 56 · 1987: 4 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 2 · 1995: 32 · 1996: 162 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 8 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2003: 10 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 21 · 2007: 4 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 78 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 30 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 4; 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 Cowlitz County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cowlitz County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $88.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | $7.6M | once in about 81 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $39M | once in about 57 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.5M | 5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $34M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $26K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $152K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $65K | 21 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 Cowlitz 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
- Winter storms in WashingtonThe state's winter storm 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 Cowlitz CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cowlitz County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis