Garfield County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53023 · population 2,285 · 711 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 185 records for Garfield County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 146 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (104 records). 160 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 most damaging was the July 15, 2024 wildfire ($32.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1964, 13 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
- 185on 146 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $75Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Garfield County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 104 since 1998. 53% of its winter storm records since 1998 fell in January and February. 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 | 104 | 77 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 39 |
| High wind and dust storms | 41 | 37 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 22 of 39 |
| Hail | 12 | 11 | 1976-2021 | 0 | 0 | $45K | 3 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 12 | 12 | 2007-2024 | 0 | 0 | $67M | 13 of 39 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 10 | 9 | 1995-2022 | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | 9 of 39 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 28 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Garfield County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 17, 2025 high wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-08 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-07 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Northeast Blue Mountains | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-12-10 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-10 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Northeast Blue Mountains | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-09 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-07 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Northeast Blue Mountains | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-23 | FloodPeyton, Garfield County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-04 | Heavy SnowAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Northeast Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-08-01 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2024-07-29 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 0 | 0 | $917K | |
| 2024-07-15 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Northeast Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | $33M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-15 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Northeast Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2024-08-01 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 1995-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindGarfield County | 0 | 0 | $5.8M | |
| 2024-07-29 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 0 | 0 | $917K | |
| 1999-02-02 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone N Garfield & Ne Asotin | 0 | 0 | $886K | |
| 2023-06-24 | WildfireAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 0 | 0 | $387K | |
| 1995-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindGarfield County | 0 | 0 | $271K | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindAsotin County and Garfield County · forecast zone Lower Garfield & Asotin | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
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 Garfield 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 | – | – | – | – | 6 | 38 | 40 | 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 15 | 8 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its winter storm records since 1998 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 34 · Mar 16 · Apr 12 · May 9 · Jun 5 · Jul 10 · Aug 13 · Sep 4 · Oct 6 · Nov 16 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Garfield County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Garfield County: 12 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4906 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-04-23 | DR-4539 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4481 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3427 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-01-15 | DR-4249 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3227 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-07 | FM-2575 | Fire | School Fire |
| 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 |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1977-12-10 | DR-545 | Flood | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding |
| 1971-02-09 | DR-300 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Melting Snows & 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 Garfield County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Garfield County from 1997 to 2025, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Garfield County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $95 on 2 claims filed in Garfield County; the most in one year was 2 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 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 Garfield County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Garfield County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $195K | once in about 277 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $2K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $3K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $30K | once in about 590 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $13K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $42K | 4.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Very Low | $559 | 24 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $1.6M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Garfield County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Garfield CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Garfield County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis