Elko County, Nevada
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 32007 · population 53,581 · 17,173 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,437 records for Elko County, Nevada from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 676 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (564 records). 1,094 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 22, 2009 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Sw & Sc Elko, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1977, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Oil Well Fire” on July 17, 2017.
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
- 1,437on 676 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 440 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $23Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 23strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2020
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 Elko County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 564 since 1999. 41% of its winter storm records since 1999 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Nevada'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 | 564 | 237 | 1999-2026 | 3 | 0 | $62K | 10 of 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | 510 | 228 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 35 | $4.3M | 14 of 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 173 | 131 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | 7 of 17 |
| Floods | 79 | 53 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | 11 of 17 |
| Hail | 55 | 40 | 1961-2023 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 9 of 17 |
| Tornadoes | 23 | 20 | 1962-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 6 of 17 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 9 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 17 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 9 | 9 | 2010-2023 | 1 | 2 | $33K | 8 of 17 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 3 | $1.2M | 9 of 17 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 2 | 2008-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 17 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 8 of 17 |
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 Elko County had?
NOAA records 23 tornadoes in Elko County from 1962 to 2023, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 6th of 17 Nevada 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 23 tornadoes whose track touched Elko County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 23, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nevada.
Every tornado record filed for Elko County (23)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-05 | Moor, Elko County | EFU 0.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-24 | Halleck, Elko County | EF1 1.2 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2021-08-13 | Spring Creek, Elko County | EF0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-22 | Patsville, Elko County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-21 | Elko County | EF0 0.26 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2014-05-21 | Elko County | EF0 0.23 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-13 | Vivian Siding, Elko County | EF0 0.88 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-20 | Wildhorse Res E, Elko County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-20 | North Fork Stvns Arp, Elko County | EF0 0.21 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-24 | Lamoille, Elko County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-08 | Wells, Elko County | F0 1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-16 | Ryndon, Elko County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-11 | Elko County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-08 | Elko County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-08-04 | Elko County | F0 0.5 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-14 | Elko County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1987-05-27 | Elko County | F0 8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-05-27 | Elko County | F1 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-05-24 | Elko County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-08-19 | Elko County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-11 | Elko County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1970-05-13 | Elko County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1962-07-17 | Elko County | 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 Elko County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 1, 2023 thunderstorm wind ($15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A thunderstorm produced very strong winds that caused a tree to fall on a deck. Approximate diameter of the tree is 18 inches. The house was not damaged. Wind gusts were estimated at 60-70 mph. A nearby Mesonet station (WLSNV) 2.3 E Wells reported a wind gust of 81 mph at the time of the tree damage. Station Elevation is 5845 feet.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1117845)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindElko County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southeastern Elko | 38 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | High WindElko County · forecast zone South-Central Elko | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | High WindElko County · forecast zone South-Central Elko | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southwestern Elko | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southwestern Elko | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southeastern Elko | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County · forecast zone South-Central Elko | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southwestern Elko | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southwestern Elko | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | High WindElko County · forecast zone N Elko Cnty | 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-22 | Winter WeatherElko County · forecast zone Sw & Sc Elko Law enforcement reported numerous traffic accidents due to ice covered roads from light freezing rain. One of the accidents near mile marker 338 (west of Wells) resulted in 2 fatalities from an overturned vehicle. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-02-20 | AvalancheElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range Three snowmobilers were caught in an avalanche which occurred near the Castle Lake area of Lamoille Canyon. One snowmobiler perished while another sustained injuries during the avalanche. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2010-04-02 | Winter WeatherElko County · forecast zone Sw & Sc Elko Two to three inches of snow fell across the area resulting in snow covered and icy roads. This resulted in a fatal accident on Interstate 80 about 27 miles west of West Wendover around 7 am on April 3rd. The driver of a pickup truck lost control of his vehicle and it went off the road and overturned several times. ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-07-29 | Dust StormElko County · forecast zone Sw & Sc Elko Thunderstorm winds estimated at 30 to 40 mph blowing across an area recently burned by a fire picked up ash and dust and carried it across Interstate 80 about 2 miles west of Carlin. Visibility along the Interstate was reduced to near zero in the ash and dust. This resulted in a 20 vehicle pileup resulting in four ... | 0 | 30 | – | |
| 2015-07-18 | Dust DevilElko County A dust devil moved across Warrior Field at Elko High School during the Relay for Life event. Five to seven tents were lifted off the ground. As the tents were lifted off the ground tables inside the tents were turned over resulting in minor injuries to 4 people. | 0 | 4 | $1K | |
| 2019-08-04 | WildfireElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range Two volunteer firefighters were injured while battling the fire. The fire came upon their position and burned over them and their vehicle. The vehicle sustained damage and one firefighter needed to be transported to the hospital. | 0 | 2 | $40K | |
| 2018-08-17 | WildfireElko County · forecast zone N Elko Cnty The South Sugarloaf Fire burned 233,462 acres and destroyed at least two campgrounds. Additional structures were also damaged or destroyed, but exact numbers are not known. In addition to the structures, critical sage-grouse habitat, grazing, livestock, and wildlife habitat was either damaged/destroyed or threatened. ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2018-03-04 | AvalancheElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range Elko Daily Press reports a snowmobiler was injured by driving into an earlier avalanche in Lamoille Canyon Sunday evening. Heavy snow fell over the previous two days in the Ruby Mountains. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-26 | HailTonka, Elko County | 0.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 2018-03-02 | High WindElko County · forecast zone Southwestern Elko | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 2018-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindElko County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 2018-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindElko County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2017-07-17 | WildfireElko County · forecast zone Southwestern Elko | 0 | 0 | $963K | |
| 2021-08-01 | Flash FloodLamoille, Elko County | 0 | 0 | $871K | |
| 2017-02-08 | Flash FloodMontello Airport, Elko County | 0 | 0 | $602K | |
| 2018-07-04 | Dust DevilSpring Creek, Elko County | 0 | 0 | $588K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 19, 1979 (tornado, Elko 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 Elko 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 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 147 | 141 | 271 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 28 | 98 z | 383 z |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 33 | 59 | 50 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 18 | 43 | 11 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 28 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 98 records against 28 in the decade before, 96 of them forecast-zone records. High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 383 records against 98 in the decade before, 383 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 Elko 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?
41% of its winter storm records since 1999 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 170 · Feb 174 · Mar 150 · Apr 132 · May 128 · Jun 127 · Jul 86 · Aug 86 · Sep 50 · Oct 37 · Nov 95 · Dec 202 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Elko County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Elko County: 3 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 11 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (11) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4523 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3443 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-07-17 | FM-5191 | Fire | Oil Well Fire |
| 2017-03-27 | DR-4307 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2011-10-03 | FM-2972 | Fire | Indian Creek Fire |
| 2007-07-23 | FM-2717 | Fire | Murphy Fire Complex |
| 2006-08-24 | FM-2670 | Fire | Mudd Fire |
| 2006-06-26 | FM-2648 | Fire | Suzie Fire |
| 2006-02-03 | DR-1629 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3243 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-29 | FM-2581 | Fire | Chance Fire |
| 2005-08-22 | FM-2578 | Fire | Vor-McCarty Fire |
| 2005-07-16 | FM-2567 | Fire | Contact Fire |
| 2005-07-16 | FM-2568 | Fire | Carlin Fire |
| 2005-02-23 | EM-3204 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3202 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2001-07-05 | FM-2366 | Fire | Nv - Ten Mile Fire - 07/05/2001 |
| 2000-01-13 | FM-2356 | Fire | Nv - Spring Creek Fire - 1999 |
| 1977-06-11 | EM-3041 | Drought | Drought |
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 Elko County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 79 flood or flash flood records for Elko County from 1996 to 2024, on 53 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Elko County ranks 1887th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $142,000 on 31 claims filed in Elko County; the most in one year was 15 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 4 · 1990: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 3 · 1999: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 15; 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 Elko County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Elko County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $74.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $62M | once in about 32 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $355K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | $502K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.7M | once in about 112 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $516K | 2.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.0M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $263K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $64K | 85 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 Elko 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 NevadaEvery Nevada tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in NevadaThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Nevada recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Elko CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Elko County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis