Curry County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41015 · population 23,357 · 1,628 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,842 records for Curry County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 935 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (981 records). 1,772 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 13, 2006 high surf, filed for the forecast zone Curry County Coast, which covers the county: 4 deaths. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1964, 14 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
- 1,842on 935 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 263 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Curry County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 981 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 | 981 | 400 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 1 | $1.3M | 5 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 410 | 309 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 36 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 143 | 81 | 2005-2026 | 22 | 2 | $12M | 1 of 36 |
| Winter storms | 123 | 73 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 24 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 83 | 67 | 1999-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 2 of 36 |
| Floods | 67 | 43 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 12 of 36 |
| Heat | 17 | 13 | 2017-2024 | 1 | 0 | – | 13 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 6 | 6 | 1972-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 36 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1983-2010 | 0 | 0 | $894K | 16 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 36 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 36 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $543K | 4 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.
How many tornadoes has Curry County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Curry County from 1983 to 2010, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th of 36 Oregon 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Curry County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Curry County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-10-24 | Port Orford, Curry County | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-11-09 | Brookings, Curry County | F0 0.5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | $820K |
| 1983-03-22 | Curry County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 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 Curry County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 4, 2024 excessive heat (1 death).
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, and high temperatures mainly in the mid 80s to mid 90s, except 100 to 107 degrees in the Coquille Valley on July 5th and 6th. Record high temperatures were reached at the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend of 84 degrees on July 5th and 86 degrees on July 6th. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office reported a potentially heat related death of a 33 year old male on July 7th.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1206106)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | SneakerwaveCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-02 | SneakerwaveCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-02 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-16 | Frost/FreezeCurry County and Josephine County · forecast zone Eastern Curry County & Josephine County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Frost/FreezeCurry County and Josephine County · forecast zone Eastern Curry County & Josephine County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-21 | High WindCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Frost/FreezeCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormCurry County and Josephine County · forecast zone Eastern Curry County & Josephine County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-12 | SneakerwaveCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-12 | SneakerwaveCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-05 | SneakerwaveCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-12-13 | High SurfCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast Three crabbers died when their boat overturned in heavy surf on the Rogue River bar. Conditions were described as rough, but not terribly rough, and the crew voted to go through the bar. No high surf advisories or warnings were in effect when the incident occurred at 16/1540 PST. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 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 | – | |
| 2005-11-10 | High SurfCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast A "sneaker wave" swept a mother and two sons into the surf near Port Orford. The mother and older son were drowned, the younger son survived and was treated for hypothermia. Surf at the time was heavy, but not heavy enough to qualify for a High Surf Advisory. A High Surf Advisory was later issued on 11/12 as the surf ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 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 | – | |
| 2022-08-17 | WildfireCurry County and Josephine County · forecast zone Eastern Curry County & Josephine County The Rum Creek Wildfire was started by lightning around 1700 PST on 08/17/22. As of 0530 PST on 09/01/22, the fire covered 14940 acres and was 1 percent contained. 3 structures were lost, and 14.6 million dollars had been spent on firefighting activities. 1 firefighter was killed by a falling tree on the fire line. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-03-11 | TsunamiCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 0 | 0 | $9.8M | |
| 2005-12-26 | FloodCoos County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Coast | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | |
| 2012-11-29 | FloodGold Beach, Curry County | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 2005-12-26 | FloodCurry County · forecast zone Curry County Coast | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 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 |
| 2005-12-26 | FloodCurry County and Josephine County · forecast zone Eastern Curry County & Josephine County | 0 | 0 | $889K | |
| 2002-11-09 | TornadoBrookings, Curry County | F0 0.5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | $820K |
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: March 22, 1983 (tornado, Curry 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 Curry 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 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 658 | 213 | 86 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 123 | 178 | 106 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 57 z | 71 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 50 | 33 | 35 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 7 | 24 | 34 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 44 | 21 | 2 |
Rip currents and high surf in the 2010s: 57 records against 15 in the decade before, 57 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 Curry 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 366 · Feb 240 · Mar 211 · Apr 98 · May 33 · Jun 15 · Jul 20 · Aug 28 · Sep 39 · Oct 123 · Nov 203 · Dec 466 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Curry County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Curry County: 13 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4881 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-07-09 | DR-4452 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2019-05-02 | DR-4432 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2017-08-20 | FM-5198 | Fire | Chetco Bar Fire |
| 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 |
| 2002-07-28 | FM-2453 | Fire | Or - Biscuit Fire - 07/28/02 |
| 2002-03-12 | DR-1405 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm With High Winds |
| 1994-08-02 | DR-1036 | Fishing Losses | The El Nino (the Salmon Industry) |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-413 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & 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 Curry County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 67 flood or flash flood records for Curry County from 2000 to 2025, on 43 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Curry County ranks 1378th 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 $1.3 million on 88 claims filed in Curry County; the most in one year was 25 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1986: 2 · 1996: 18 · 1997: 12 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 3 · 2002: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 25 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2019: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 2; 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 Curry County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Curry County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $44.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsunami | Relatively High | $17M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $18M | once in about 44 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | once in about 255 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $54K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.9M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $52K | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $171K | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $256 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Curry 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 OregonEvery Oregon tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- 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 Curry CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Curry County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis