Gem County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16045 · population 19,098 · 560 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 153 records for Gem County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 129 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (79 records). 107 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 September 6, 2022 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1964, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Four Corners Fire” on August 19, 2022.
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
- 153on 129 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 24 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $122Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2022
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 Gem County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 79 since 1996. 61% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Idaho'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 | 79 | 60 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 4 | $120M | 24 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 19 | 16 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 18 of 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 44 |
| Hail | 12 | 12 | 1964-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 44 |
| Floods | 8 | 8 | 1997-2017 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 15 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1991-2004 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 8 of 44 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2002-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2023-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 44 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 1 | 0 | – | 18 of 44 |
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 Gem County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Gem County from 1991 to 2004, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 8th of 44 Idaho 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Gem County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Idaho.
Every tornado record filed for Gem County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-08-25 | Emmett, Gem County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-09-29 | Emmett, Gem County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-02-07 | Emmett, Gem County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-19 | Gem County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Gem County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 6, 2022 excessive heat (1 death).
Multiple newspapers reported on an infant that died after being left in a hot car in New Plymouth, Idaho on September 6th.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1047828)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindSweet, Gem County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-13 | Winter WeatherCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-06 | Winter WeatherAdams County and 3 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-06 | Winter WeatherCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-02 | Winter StormAdams County and 3 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-09-06 | Excessive HeatCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-01-18 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | $120M | |
| 2013-12-07 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-06-04 | FloodEmmett, Gem County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2004-08-25 | TornadoEmmett, Gem County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-09-29 | TornadoEmmett, Gem County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-02-07 | TornadoEmmett, Gem County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-06 | Excessive HeatCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley Multiple newspapers reported on an infant that died after being left in a hot car in New Plymouth, Idaho on September 6th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-12-07 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley Reports of 5 to 6 inches were received via social media. A traffic accident attributed to slick roads resulted in one fatality on Interstate 84, 2 miles east of Caldwell. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-11-28 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley A very moist Pacific storm brought the first major snowfall to the Treasure and Magic Valleys. Snow began falling around noon and continued until the next morning. Over one hundred slide-offs and motor vehicle collisions occurred along Interstate 84 from Oregon-Idaho state line east to Twin Falls. Traffic was brought ... | 0 | 4 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-18 | Heavy SnowCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | $120M |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 19, 1991 (tornado, Gem 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 Gem 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 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 12 | 16 | 38 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
61% 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 23 · Feb 15 · Mar 19 · Apr 7 · May 15 · Jun 14 · Jul 8 · Aug 7 · Sep 2 · Oct 4 · Nov 8 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gem County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Gem County: 4 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for biological (2) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-19 | FM-5449 | Fire | Four Corners Fire |
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2010-07-27 | DR-1927 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1154 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1964-12-31 | DR-186 | 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 Gem County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 8 flood or flash flood records for Gem County from 1997 to 2017, on 8 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gem County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $19,000 on 4 claims filed in Gem County; the most in one year was 1 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2025: 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 Gem County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gem County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $5.9M | once in about 65 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $74K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $284K | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.2M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $233K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $295K | once in about 360 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $540 | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Gem 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 IdahoEvery Idaho tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in IdahoThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Idaho recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Gem CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gem County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis