Imperial County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06025 · population 179,319 · 4,176 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 635 records for Imperial County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 221 days; the most frequent are heat records (266 records). 378 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 August 31, 2021 flash flood: 2 deaths and $5,446 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1976, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Tropical Storm Hilary” on November 21, 2023.
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
- 635on 221 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 513 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $72Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2023
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 Imperial County most?
The most frequent records are heat records: 266 since 2013. 61% of its heat records since 2013 fell in July and August. The rank column places the county among California'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 266 | 52 | 2013-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 57 |
| Floods | 118 | 50 | 1999-2025 | 2 | 5 | $38M | 46 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 113 | 58 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 2 | $12M | 5 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 93 | 57 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 3 | $325K | 55 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 11 | 1998-2022 | 1 | 3 | $33K | 45 of 57 |
| Hail | 10 | 9 | 1990-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 6 | 1965-2000 | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | 37 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 4 | 2007-2015 | 0 | 0 | $8.4M | 47 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2000-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2020-2022 | 1 | 0 | $361K | 56 of 57 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | 12 of 57 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 57 |
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 Imperial County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Imperial County from 1965 to 2000, the strongest rated F1, 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Imperial County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in California.
Every tornado record filed for Imperial County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-08-30 | Glamis, Imperial County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-09-24 | Seeley, Imperial County | F0 1.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-29 | Calipatria, Imperial County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-05 | Imperial County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1972-06-07 | Imperial County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-07-05 | Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1965-07-05 | Imperial County | F1 2 mi x 33 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 Imperial County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 27, 2025 flash flood ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | High WindImperial County · forecast zone Imperial County Southwest | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodBard, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodBard, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodWinterhaven, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodAraz, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodGlamis, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-22 | Flash FloodGlamis, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-18 | Thunderstorm WindCalexico, Imperial County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-09-18 | Flash FloodHeber, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2025-09-18 | Flash FloodNiland, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-18 | Flash FloodAmos, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-18 | Flash FloodGrape, Imperial County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-31 | Flash FloodPalo Verde, Imperial County Very heavy rainfall occurred along SR 78 in northeast Imperial County with amounts estimated to be approaching 7 inches in some places. This resulted in considerable flooding along the highway. The California Highway Patrol reported that a vehicle was swept off SR 78 at Milpitas Wash before overturning in the wash. ... | 2 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2021-11-07 | Dense FogImperial County · forecast zone Imperial Valley A vehicle caused a chain reaction collision when it rammed into the back of a couple cars stopped at a traffic light at Highway 111 and Jasper Road. Three were injured in the collision, with the driver of the vehicle hit first succumbing to their injuries after being taken to the hospital. Visibility was near zero in ... | 1 | 3 | $33K | |
| 2021-03-15 | Dust StormImperial County · forecast zone Imperial County West According to California Highway Patrol (CHP), a vehicle accident occurred on Highway 85 north of North Marina Dr in Salton City around 4:25 PM PDT. A Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent responded to the incident and was assisting a passenger in one of the disabled vehicles when another vehicle struck the disabled ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-06-28 | WildfireImperial County · forecast zone Imperial Valley A brush fire developed just west of Niland around sunset, near the intersection of Nieto and Noffsinger roads. The fire quickly became out of control, spreading rapidly east due to strong gusty winds. Winds at the start of the fire were observed gusting up to 25-30 mph out of the west to southwest. This made the fire ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-07-30 | FloodDixieland, Imperial County Scattered thunderstorms developed across southwest Imperial county during the afternoon hours on July 30th. Due to the very humid and unstable nature of the atmosphere, the storms produced locally heavy rainfall with rain rates well in excess of one inch per hour. A Flash Flood Warning was issued at about 430 pm, ... | 0 | 5 | $514K | |
| 2025-08-25 | Thunderstorm WindSalton City, Imperial County A semi truck was blown over along Highway 86, injuring the truck driver. A power pole and power lines were also reported down in the area. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| 2022-02-15 | Dust StormImperial County · forecast zone Imperial Valley Strong winds and blowing dust resulted in a semi-truck rolling over near the intersection of Gentry Road and Walker Road, north of Westmorland in the Imperial Valley. The truck driver suffered moderate injury, which included a laceration to the head. | 0 | 1 | $5K | |
| 2021-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindCalexico, Imperial County A tree fell into a home due to strong winds near Encanto Drive and 8th street. The tree caused very minor damage to the eaves of the home and the resident suffered minor injuries that did not need to be treated by authorities. Additional details of the injury were not provided. Winds were estimated around 45-50 mph ... | 43 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-01 | Flash FloodNiland, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 1997-09-25 | Tropical StormImperial County · forecast zone W & C Imperial | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | |
| 2013-01-12 | Frost/FreezeImperial County · forecast zone Imperial County Except The Lower Colorado River Valley | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | |
| 2007-09-15 | Thunderstorm WindPalo Verde, Imperial County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.7M |
| 2024-01-22 | FloodCalexico International Airport, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2025-08-25 | Flash FloodSalton City, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2013-01-12 | Frost/FreezeImperial County and Riverside County · forecast zone Lower Colorado River Valley | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2021-08-31 | Flash FloodPalo Verde, Imperial County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 5, 1992 (tornado, Imperial 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 Imperial 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 63 | 203 z |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 28 | 82 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 27 | 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 19 | 60 z |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 203 records against 63 in the decade before, 203 of them forecast-zone records. High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 60 records against 19 in the decade before, 60 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 Imperial 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?
61% of its heat records since 2013 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 17 · Mar 12 · Apr 16 · May 17 · Jun 60 · Jul 107 · Aug 208 · Sep 125 · Oct 33 · Nov 4 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Imperial County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Imperial County: 12 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-21 | DR-4750 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Hilary |
| 2023-04-03 | DR-4699 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-03-10 | EM-3592 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2010-05-07 | DR-1911 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2010-03-08 | DR-1884 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows |
| 2007-03-13 | DR-1689 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1995-03-12 | DR-1046 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow |
| 1993-02-03 | DR-979 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Mud & Land Slides, & Flooding |
| 1991-02-11 | DR-894 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1983-07-01 | DR-687 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1979-10-19 | DR-609 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1976-09-21 | DR-521 | Flood | Flooding, Tropical Storm Kathleen |
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 Imperial County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 118 flood or flash flood records for Imperial County from 1999 to 2025, on 50 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Imperial County ranks 1290th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $560,000 on 103 claims filed in Imperial County; the most in one year was 25 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 15 · 1981: 9 · 1982: 9 · 1983: 25 · 1984: 22 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 8 · 1988: 1 · 1995: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 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 Imperial County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Imperial County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $148 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $101M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $43M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | 17 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $321K | 39 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $401K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $2K | once in about 10,000 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $184K | once in about 1,277 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $459 | 6.5 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Imperial 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 CaliforniaEvery California tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Heat in CaliforniaThe state's heat records, by county, year and month
- The California recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Imperial CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Imperial County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis