Gooding County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16047 · population 15,584 · 729 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 130 records for Gooding County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 114 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (40 records). 84 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 1, 2014 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Western Magic Valley, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1964, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on August 27, 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
- 130on 114 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 325 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $95Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 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 Gooding County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 40 since 1999. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 40 | 32 | 1999-2026 | 1 | 0 | $253K | 14 of 44 |
| Winter storms | 39 | 39 | 1996-2024 | 2 | 2 | – | 35 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 21 | 21 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 23 | – | 17 of 44 |
| Hail | 12 | 10 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 24 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 5 | 1956-1993 | 0 | 0 | $143K | 9 of 44 |
| Floods | 5 | 5 | 1997-2022 | 0 | 0 | $94M | 31 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2002-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 44 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 1997-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 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 Gooding County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Gooding County from 1956 to 1993, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 9th 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Gooding 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 Idaho.
Every tornado record filed for Gooding County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-05-15 | Gooding County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-10 | Gooding County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1988-04-20 | Gooding County | F1 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-04-20 | Gooding County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1985-05-02 | Gooding County | F1 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-06-03 | Gooding County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Gooding County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 1, 2017 flood ($301,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The combination of rain and melting of near record snowpack in the Big Wood Basin led to significant flooding along the Big Wood River. Magic Reservoir filled to capacity sending large flows over the spillway and downriver through Gooding County. Extensive flooding of agricultural land occurred and several county roads were inundated with water. Just north of Gooding, portions of County Road 1700 South, 1800 East, and 1950 East were inundated with water and damaged. A few homes and businesses near the river were surrounded by water. Lowland flooding and damage to county roads occurred in the county well downstream from Gooding.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 697242)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-04-01 | FloodGooding County | 0 | 0 | $301K | |
| 2017-02-08 | FloodHagerman, Gooding County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-12-01 | Winter WeatherGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley Two fatalities occurred in Jerome County in two separate incidents in the early morning due to snow covered roads. The first accident occurred at 5:37 AM on Interstate 84 near mile marker 179 when the vehicle slid into the median and rolled over. The second occurred at 6:06 AM on Interstate 84 near mile marker 170. ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-06-06 | Dust StormGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley Idaho State Police reported a pile up of four semi trucks, two SUVs and two passenger cars on Interstate 84 near Hazelton due to a dust storm caused by strong thunderstorm winds. One fatality was reported and several people were taken to the hospital. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1988-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindGooding County | 0 | 23 | – | |
| 2001-11-28 | Heavy SnowGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic 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 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-06-01 | FloodGooding County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Magic Valley | 0 | 0 | $92M | |
| 2017-02-08 | FloodHagerman, Gooding County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2017-04-01 | FloodGooding County | 0 | 0 | $301K |
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: May 2, 1985 (tornado, Gooding County); April 20, 1988 (tornado, Gooding 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 Gooding 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 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 8 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 14 | 17 | 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Gooding County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 16 · Mar 10 · Apr 9 · May 17 · Jun 19 · Jul 1 · Aug 13 · Sep 4 · Oct 4 · Nov 8 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gooding County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Gooding County: 5 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-27 | DR-4333 | Flood | Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2017-04-21 | DR-4310 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1983-11-18 | DR-694 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 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 Gooding County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 5 flood or flash flood records for Gooding County from 1997 to 2022, on 5 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gooding County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $34,000 on 6 claims filed in Gooding County; the most in one year was 3 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1984: 3 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 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 Gooding County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gooding County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.4 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 | $3.8M | once in about 85 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $136K | 9.8 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $487K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $412K | once in about 337 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $4 | once in about 2,500 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $97K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $210 | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $3.0M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Gooding 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
- High wind and dust storms in IdahoThe state's high wind and dust 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 Gooding CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gooding County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis