Del Norte County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06015 · population 27,709 · 1,006 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 351 records for Del Norte County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 244 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (148 records). 304 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 June 7, 2004 high surf, filed for the forecast zone North Coast Interior, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1964, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 3, 2023.
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
- 351on 244 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2027 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $175Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2023
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 Del Norte County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 148 since 1996. 49% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among California'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 | 148 | 100 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $7.8M | 18 of 57 |
| Winter storms | 93 | 74 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 57 |
| Floods | 33 | 26 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $99M | 26 of 57 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 20 | 20 | 1996-2025 | 19 | 4 | $29M | 6 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 17 | 2017-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.2M | 16 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 7 | 6 | 1996-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 5 | 1958-1996 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 16 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 3 | 1998-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2002-2023 | 0 | 23 | $2.2M | 46 of 57 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2003-2005 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 4 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 3 | 2005-2024 | 0 | 0 | $26M | 30 of 57 |
| Hail | 3 | 3 | 1967-2022 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 40 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 57 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 57 |
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 Del Norte County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Del Norte County from 1958 to 1996, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th of 57 California 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 Del Norte 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 California.
Every tornado record filed for Del Norte County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-01-20 | Crescent City, Del Norte County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1996-01-20 | Smith River, Del Norte County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 1992-12-30 | Del Norte County | F1 0.2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-12-11 | Del Norte County | F1 0.2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-05-13 | Del Norte County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1958-01-10 | Del Norte County | F0 0.8 mi x 60 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 Del Norte County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 30, 2025 tsunami ($1.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Tsunami waves impacted the Crescent City Harbor beginning around midnight on the 30th of July. The waves reached peak amplitude quickly in the first few hours just under 4 feet in amplitude. The waves then continued for over 24 hours, finally falling below the 1 foot tsunami advisory threshold during the morning of the 31st. The waves severely damaged or destroyed H-Dock in the harbor and damaged many of the connections between the other docks. The initial damage estimate is around $1 million.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1269808)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindGasquet, Del Norte County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-24 | Strong WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Del Norte Interior | 26 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-24 | Strong WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Coastal Del Norte | 44 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-23 | High WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Del Norte Interior | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-21 | Heavy RainGasquet, Del Norte County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | Strong WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Coastal Del Norte | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | Strong WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Coastal Del Norte | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-04 | High WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Del Norte Interior | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-04 | Strong WindDel Norte County · forecast zone Del Norte Interior | 26 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-30 | TsunamiDel Norte County · forecast zone Coastal Del Norte | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2025-02-14 | Heavy RainGasquet Ward Airport, Del Norte County | 0 | 0 | $400 | |
| 2025-02-03 | Winter WeatherDel Norte County · forecast zone Del Norte Interior | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-07 | High SurfDel Norte County and 2 more · forecast zone North Coast Interior Between 8 am and 7 pm a boat was sunk after being struck by a series of waves. The nearest buoy (46027) reported wave heights of 6.9 to 8.5 feet at 11 seconds. One female survivor swam to a near by off shore rock and spent the night. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-10-22 | High SurfDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast A sneaker wave knocked down and pulled into the ocean a 4-year-old girl. Witnesses reported that the girl was high on the dry sand when the unusually large sneaker wave occurred. A 21-year-old women attempted to rescue the girl and both the girl and the woman died in the surf. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-01-02 | High SurfDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast Family passing through area stopped for lunch. While playing near the water a large wave pulled several family members into the water. 38 year old was attempting to rescue the 8 year old boy. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-03-12 | High SurfDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast Crab boat Ocean Gypsy was found by US Coast Guard helicopter in the surf of Mad River Beach. The two fishermen on board were missing and presumed lost (one body was eventually found). The exact time of the incident cannot be determined but occured between 0700 PST and 1430 PST. Incident probably weather related due to ... | 2 | 0 | $19K | |
| 2002-01-26 | High SurfDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast A man, a woman, and a teenage girl were sightseeing on the North Jetty to Humboldt Bay when a large wave washed the man and woman into the water. The US Coast Guard rescued the 43 year old woman suffering head and back injuries. The man was not found during the search and presumed lost. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-09-28 | High SurfDel Norte County · forecast zone Coastal Del Norte At 12:15 pm on 28 September 2021, members of the Crescent City Police and Del Norte County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a male subject who was swept off a jetty in Crescent City, CA. The male subject could not be revived after rescue. A swell occurring across the coastal waters ranged from 10 to 14 feet ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-03-11 | TsunamiDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast Surges in Crescent City harbor caused damage to docks and coastal infrastructure and sank numerous fishing boats. The damage was primarily caused by the high velocity current. | 1 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2011-01-21 | High SurfDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast At 9:30 a.m. on January 21, two woman were knocked into the ocean by a sneaker wave. One woman made it back to safety but the other woman died. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-01 | FloodDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast | 0 | 0 | $56M | |
| 2005-12-29 | FloodDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 2005-12-28 | Debris FlowDel Norte County and 2 more · forecast zone North Coast Interior | 0 | 0 | $26M | |
| 2006-11-15 | TsunamiDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 1996-12-07 | FloodDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2016-12-14 | High SurfDel Norte County · forecast zone Coastal Del Norte | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2011-03-11 | TsunamiDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast | 1 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2008-01-04 | High WindDel Norte County and Humboldt County · forecast zone Redwood Coast | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.4M |
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: December 30, 1992 (tornado, Del Norte 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 Del Norte 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 | – | – | – | – | 49 | 29 | 25 | 45 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 25 | 17 | 19 | 32 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 11 | 6 | 4 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 4 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 65 · Feb 67 · Mar 41 · Apr 17 · May 3 · Jun 4 · Jul 4 · Aug 2 · Sep 3 · Oct 12 · Nov 35 · Dec 98 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Del Norte County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Del Norte County: 18 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (8) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-03 | DR-4699 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-03-10 | EM-3592 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-01-14 | DR-4683 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-10-16 | DR-4569 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-05-17 | DR-4434 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2017-04-01 | DR-4308 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2011-04-18 | DR-1968 | Tsunami | Tsunami Waves |
| 2006-02-03 | DR-1628 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998-02-09 | DR-1203 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1155 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1995-01-10 | DR-1044 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud Flows |
| 1994-09-13 | DR-1038 | Fishing Losses | The El Nino (the Salmon Industry) |
| 1993-02-03 | DR-979 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Mud & Land Slides, & Flooding |
| 1986-02-21 | DR-758 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1983-02-09 | DR-677 | Coastal Storm | Coastal Storms, Floods, Slides & Tornadoes |
| 1972-04-05 | DR-329 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1970-02-16 | DR-283 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-183 | 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 Del Norte County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Del Norte County from 1996 to 2024, on 26 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Del Norte County ranks 1811th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $455,000 on 37 claims filed in Del Norte County; the most in one year was 7 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 4 · 1993: 3 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 4 · 1997: 7 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2023: 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 Del Norte County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Del Norte County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $142 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 | Very High | $114M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively High | $847K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $11M | once in about 49 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $16M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $650K | once in about 672 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $58K | 20 modeled event-days a year |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $25K | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $229 | 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 Del Norte 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 CaliforniaEvery California tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in CaliforniaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The California recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Del Norte CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Del Norte County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis