Hood River County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41027 · population 23,966 · 522 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 746 records for Hood River County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 470 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (543 records). 719 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 31, 2007 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Upper Hood River Valley, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1964, 15 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
- 746on 470 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1488 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.2Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Hood River County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 543 since 1996. 52% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Oregon'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 | 543 | 339 | 1996-2026 | 10 | 39 | $815K | 1 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 70 | 57 | 1996-2023 | 2 | 38 | $1.1B | 12 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 39 | 29 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 30 | 19 | 2003-2021 | 0 | 10 | – | 5 of 36 |
| Heat | 16 | 7 | 2006-2022 | 2 | 0 | – | 9 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 15 | 11 | 2001-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 36 |
| Floods | 14 | 14 | 1996-2015 | 0 | 0 | $68M | 10 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 8 | 8 | 1996-2009 | 0 | 1 | – | 3 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 4 | 1970-1998 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 9 of 36 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 36 |
| Hail | 3 | 3 | 2003-2018 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 16 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 36 |
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 Hood River County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 13, 2025 heavy snow ($60,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-06 | Heavy SnowClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-14 | Heavy SnowClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-16 | Heavy SnowClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowMultnomah County and Hood River County · forecast zone West Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor | 0 | 0 | $60K | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowHood River County · forecast zone Central Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowHood River County · forecast zone Upper Hood River Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowMultnomah County and Hood River County · forecast zone West Columbia River Gorge Of Oregon Above 500 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-01 | Heavy SnowHood River County · forecast zone Upper Hood River Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-12-27 | High WindHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge | 52 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 2022-12-20 | Winter WeatherHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatHood River County · forecast zone Central Columbia River Gorge | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-09-07 | WildfireClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades | 0 | 10 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-31 | Winter WeatherHood River County · forecast zone Upper Hood River Valley A family was traveling on Highway 35 south of Odell when they hit an icy patch in a shady spot on the road, lost control of the vehicle, and spun into oncoming traffic. Five people were hurt in the accident. Two of those people, a mother and daughter, died of their injuries later. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-01-02 | Winter StormHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone South Central Oregon A car skidded to the shoulder of Hwy 97 just south of the Hwy 62 intersection and crashed into a snowplow head-on, killing both occupants of the car, a father and son from Canada. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-04-07 | Strong WindHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge Weather stations recorded wind gusts generally up to 45 mph, with the highest wind recorded in Corbett. There was one fatality and three injuries on the Columbia River near Multnomah Falls, where rough conditions caused a boat to capsize. | 39 kt wind | 1 | 3 | – |
| 2022-12-27 | High WindHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge A tree down on Dodge Ram near exit 40, killing one and injuring a passenger. I-84 was closed for several hours between Troutdale and Cascade Locks due to this incident. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 1998-12-18 | Winter StormHood River County · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin Icy roads caused a one car accident on Interstate-82 near Hermiston. The car slid off the road, rolled several times, and ejected the passenger. The driver sustained minor injuries and the passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-01-04 | Winter StormHood River County · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin A 49 year old man was killed around 4 pm Sunday near Shaniko. The car he was driving was hit by a pickup that lost control on the the icy road. The man's 10 year old daughter was taken to a hospital with facial injuries. The driver of the pickup was not injured. A winter storm left as much as three inches of snow in ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-12-20 | Winter WeatherHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge Multiple vehicle accidents on I-84 in the Columbia River Gorge resulted in one fatality on the eastbound lane near Rooster Rock State Park. The accidents were attributed to black ice and strong east winds. Light rain fell the evening prior, with freezing temperature following late that evening. There may have been a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatHood River County · forecast zone Central Columbia River Gorge Temperatures across the area reached into the 100s and lower 110s over a three day period. This lead to many people seeking locations to cool off. A young girl drowned in the Hood River on Wednesday, June 30. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-07 | High WindClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1B |
| 2006-11-07 | FloodHood River County | 0 | 0 | $44M | |
| 1997-01-01 | FloodHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone South Central Oregon | 0 | 0 | $22M | |
| 1999-09-25 | High WindHood River County · forecast zone Lower Columbia Basin | 0 | 33 | $1.8M | |
| 2000-09-30 | FloodClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Northern Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2022-12-27 | High WindHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge | 52 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 1998-01-11 | Winter StormHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Ne Multnomah/N Hood River | 0 | 0 | $453K | |
| 2012-01-18 | Winter StormHood River County and Multnomah County · forecast zone Western Columbia River Gorge | 0 | 0 | $257K |
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 Hood River 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 | – | – | – | – | 165 | 173 | 127 | 78 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 27 | 16 | 19 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 32 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% 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 164 · Feb 122 · Mar 58 · Apr 30 · May 11 · Jun 17 · Jul 13 · Aug 28 · Sep 24 · Oct 15 · Nov 77 · Dec 187 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hood River County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Hood River County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 4 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and fire (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4907 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-04-13 | DR-4768 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-09-03 | FM-5203 | Fire | Eagle Creek Fire |
| 2017-08-08 | DR-4328 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2013-08-18 | FM-5046 | Fire | Government Flats Fire Complex |
| 2012-03-02 | DR-4055 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2009-08-28 | FM-2829 | Fire | Microwave Fire |
| 2009-03-02 | DR-1824 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record and Near Record Snow |
| 2006-12-29 | DR-1672 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2003-09-02 | FM-2495 | Fire | Or-Wyeth/Herman Creek Fire 09-02-2003 |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1099 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-413 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-184 | 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 Hood River County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Hood River County from 1996 to 2015, on 14 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hood River County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $30,000 on 4 claims filed in Hood River County; the most in one year was 4 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 4; 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 Hood River County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hood River County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $840K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | $491K | once in about 82 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $4.8M | once in about 75 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $50K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 138 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $435K | 3.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $70K | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $495K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hood River 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 OregonThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Oregon recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Hood River CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hood River County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis