Humboldt County, Nevada
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 32013 · population 17,234 · 9,641 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 420 records for Humboldt County, Nevada from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 271 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (207 records). 319 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 June 10, 2013 dust storm, filed for the forecast zone Humboldt, which covers the county: 1 death, 37 injuries and $1.9 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1977, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides” on March 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
- 420on 271 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 139 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.8Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 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 Humboldt County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 207 since 1998. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 207 | 118 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 39 | $2.0M | 15 of 17 |
| Winter storms | 109 | 87 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 63 | 48 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 0 | $102K | 11 of 17 |
| Floods | 14 | 13 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | 15 of 17 |
| Hail | 13 | 10 | 1958-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 13 of 17 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 6 | 1979-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 17 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 17 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 1998-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 17 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 17 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 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 Humboldt County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Humboldt County from 1979 to 2018, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Humboldt County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nevada.
Every tornado record filed for Humboldt County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-11 | Eglon Siding, Humboldt County | EF0 0.01 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-11 | Iron Pt, Humboldt County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-24 | Winnemuca Municipal, Humboldt County | EF0 0.52 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-27 | Winnemucca, Humboldt County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-25 | Paradise Vly, Humboldt County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-25 | Winnemucca, Humboldt County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-08-29 | Paradise Vly, Humboldt County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-08-14 | Humboldt County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Humboldt County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 7, 2017 flood ($3.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Residents of Paradise Valley were inundated on at least two separate occasions as water poured off the Santa Rosa Mountains through the various creeks surrounding the town. Humboldt county reported over 68 rural roads that were damaged by the flooding. Damages are estimated.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 681493)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-21 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-10 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-10 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 38 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-24 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 37 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-06-10 | Dust StormHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt Thunderstorms winds produced a dust storm that reduced visibility to near zero at times and caused a 27 vehicle pileup on Interstate 80 just west of Winnemucca near mile marker 175. One driver was killed and 37 others were injured, 4 seriously. It took crews 20 hours to clear the debris and reopen Interstate 80. ... | 1 | 37 | $1.9M | |
| 2010-04-27 | High WindHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt Widespread wind gusts between 64 and 76 mph across Humboldt county with a peak wind gust of 76 mph at the Texas Springs RAWS. A semi-trailer rolled over on Interstate 80 near Golconda due to the high winds. The driver and his passenger sustained moderate injuries. | 66 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-07 | FloodAdelaide, Humboldt County | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2013-06-10 | Dust StormHumboldt County · forecast zone Humboldt | 1 | 37 | $1.9M | |
| 2012-08-13 | Thunderstorm WindRebel Creek, Humboldt County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 1999-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindOrovada, Humboldt County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2010-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindDaveytown, Humboldt County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 Humboldt 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 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 11 | 19 | 172 z |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 16 | 15 | 65 z |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 22 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 172 records against 19 in the decade before, 171 of them forecast-zone records. Winter storms in the 2020-26: 65 records against 15 in the decade before, 65 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 Humboldt 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?
Records by month in Humboldt County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 44 · Feb 42 · Mar 65 · Apr 39 · May 33 · Jun 26 · Jul 23 · Aug 26 · Sep 24 · Oct 15 · Nov 24 · Dec 59 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Humboldt County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Humboldt County: 3 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and snowstorm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4523 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3443 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-03-27 | DR-4307 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3243 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-23 | EM-3204 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3202 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 1986-02-28 | DR-759 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Humboldt County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Humboldt County from 1996 to 2023, on 13 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Humboldt County ranks 2181st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $79,000 on 16 claims filed in Humboldt County; the most in one year was 12 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 12 · 2011: 1 · 2017: 3; 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 Humboldt County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Humboldt County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.8 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 | $9.7M | once in about 45 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 125 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $164K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 69 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $46K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $267K | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Very Low | $656 | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $4 | once in about 435 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Humboldt 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
- High wind and dust storms in NevadaThe state's high wind and dust 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 Humboldt CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Humboldt County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis