Idaho County, Idaho
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 16049 · population 16,440 · 8,477 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 638 records for Idaho County, Idaho from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 436 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (382 records). 479 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 July 8, 1992 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1964, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Straight-Line Winds” 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
- 638on 436 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 45 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $42Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Idaho County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 382 since 1996. 44% 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 | 382 | 280 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $10M | 41 of 44 |
| Hail | 67 | 45 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 0 | $557K | 36 of 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | 54 | 42 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $810K | 43 of 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 51 | 39 | 1957-2026 | 2 | 1 | $597K | 43 of 44 |
| Floods | 23 | 21 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 44 of 44 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 12 | 2001-2017 | 0 | 0 | $67K | 30 of 44 |
| Heat | 17 | 7 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 44 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 8 | 2013-2026 | 1 | 1 | – | 35 of 44 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 8 | 8 | 2008-2025 | 0 | 0 | $205K | 27 of 44 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2007-2020 | 1 | 1 | $13M | 40 of 44 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2008-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 44 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1979-2010 | 0 | 0 | $34K | 40 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 Idaho County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Idaho County from 1979 to 2010, 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Idaho County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Idaho.
Every tornado record filed for Idaho County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-10-07 | Ferdinand, Idaho County | EF0 1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1979-04-11 | Idaho County | F0 1 mi x 17 yd | 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 Idaho County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 28, 2026 hail ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-07 | Winter WeatherIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-28 | HailKooskia, Idaho County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-28 | Thunderstorm WindGolden, Idaho County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-28 | HailWhite Bird, Idaho County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Frost/FreezeClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-16 | Winter WeatherIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-25 | Frost/FreezeIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-23 | Winter WeatherIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter WeatherIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-11 | Winter StormIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter WeatherClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindIdaho County | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-08-10 | WildfireClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region KREM news reported The Lawyer Complex has burned 42 homes and 75 other buildings, according to Northern Rockies Incident Management Team. The National situation reported 118 structures lost (as of the last report 9/10/2015) with the cost of fighting the fire at 25 million dollars. The Idaho County Sheriff's Office ... | 1 | 1 | $11M | |
| 2013-10-26 | Frost/FreezeIdaho County · forecast zone Southern Clearwater Mountains A 41 year old man heading west on U.S. Highway 12, lost control as he crossed an icy bridge deck over Lolo Creek near mile-marker 7 and shortly died thereafter. Another vehicle heading eastbound had to swerve into a ditch attempting to avoid a collision but still was side-swiped by the bike. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2007-11-12 | High WindIdaho County · forecast zone Lower Hells Canyon / Salmon River Region Strong pressure gradient and upper level driven winds produced sustained winds of around 45 mph with estimate gusts to near 60 mph. Storm spotters reported roof damage to homes and fences down in Riggins. County emergency management reported that 3 semi trucks were blown over on Highway 95. There were two injuries. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $85K |
| 2024-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindLucile, Idaho County Hurricane force winds caused hundreds of trees, of all types, and diameters up to 2 feet wide, to be either uprooted or snapped in half along the track of the derecho from between Grangeville and Pollock, east and north towards Lolo Pass. Much of the Lochsa Corridor east of Kooskia sustained massive wind damage, and ... | 74 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $447K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-08-10 | WildfireClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 1 | 1 | $11M | |
| 2008-02-08 | Heavy SnowClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2024-04-14 | Flash FloodWinona, Idaho County | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | |
| 2019-04-09 | FloodMt Idaho, Idaho County | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 2020-09-07 | WildfireClearwater County and Idaho County · forecast zone Orofino / Grangeville Region | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2010-06-07 | Flash FloodStites, Idaho County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2024-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindLucile, Idaho County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $447K |
| 2019-08-09 | HailLucile, Idaho County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $231K |
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 $30, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 11, 1979 (tornado, Idaho 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 Idaho 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 | – | – | – | – | 32 | 150 | 111 | 89 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 10 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 22 | 15 | 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% 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 86 · Feb 97 · Mar 33 · Apr 25 · May 32 · Jun 44 · Jul 48 · Aug 48 · Sep 12 · Oct 23 · Nov 79 · Dec 111 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Idaho County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Idaho County: 12 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and fire (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4905 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024-06-10 | DR-4789 | Flood | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4534 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3467 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-06-12 | DR-4443 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2017-05-18 | DR-4313 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-29 | FM-5110 | Fire | Tepee Springs Fire |
| 2015-08-14 | FM-5099 | Fire | Clearwater Lawyer Branch Fire Complex |
| 2011-05-20 | DR-1987 | Flood | Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2010-07-27 | DR-1927 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-08-30 | FM-2725 | Fire | East Zone Fire Complex |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3244 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2000-09-01 | DR-1341 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1154 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1996-02-11 | DR-1102 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1977-05-05 | EM-3040 | Drought | Drought |
| 1967-08-30 | DR-231 | Fire | Forest Fires |
| 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 Idaho County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Idaho County from 1997 to 2025, on 21 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Idaho County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9,891 on 5 claims filed in Idaho County; the most in one year was 2 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 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 Idaho County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Idaho County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $31.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively High | $943K | 6.3 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $17M | once in about 111 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $913K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $37K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $98K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $123K | once in about 427 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $165K | 2.3 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Idaho 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 Idaho CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Idaho County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis