Inyo County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06027 · population 18,979 · 10,197 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 948 records for Inyo County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 633 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (392 records). 646 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 18, 2021 heat, filed for the forecast zone Death Valley National Park, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1967, 14 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
- 948on 633 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2632 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $600Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Inyo County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 392 since 1996. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 392 | 261 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 9 | $3.1M | 44 of 57 |
| Floods | 255 | 154 | 1997-2026 | 2 | 3 | $589M | 42 of 57 |
| Winter storms | 155 | 136 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $67K | 38 of 57 |
| Heat | 78 | 63 | 2009-2025 | 17 | 12 | – | 42 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 31 | 27 | 1982-2025 | 0 | 0 | $186K | 35 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 9 | 9 | 2011-2026 | 5 | 2 | $484K | 43 of 57 |
| Hail | 6 | 5 | 1997-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | $45K | 57 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 4 | $6.2M | 57 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2012-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 1998-2024 | 1 | 2 | $136K | 56 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 2012-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 57 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 41 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 Inyo County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Inyo County from 2012 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Inyo 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 California.
Every tornado record filed for Inyo County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-03 | Bishop, Inyo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-11-30 | Aberdeen, Inyo County | EF0 1.64 mi x 100 yd | 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 Inyo County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 17, 2026 high wind ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley North | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley South | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley North | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2026-05-17 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Death Valley National Park | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley North | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley South | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | High WindInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-16 | Heavy SnowInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | AvalancheInyo County · forecast zone Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Heavy SnowInyo County · forecast zone Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-03 | Flash FloodHarrisburg, Inyo County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-03 | Flash FloodDeath Vly, Inyo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-18 | HeatInyo County · forecast zone Death Valley National Park Two hikers were found dead of heat related causes in Death Valley National Park. Their dates of death are estimated. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-04-26 | AvalancheInyo County · forecast zone Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County Two skiers died in an avalanche on the east-facing couloir of Split Mountain, near the Sierra crest southwest of Big Pine. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-08-15 | Flash FloodDeath Vly, Inyo County Severe flooding in Death Valley National Park caused extensive flooding along CA Highway 190 and Route 127. The flooding completely washed away several miles of roadway and caused damage to several rest areas. Two people traveling along Highway 190 were caught in the flooding and killed after being caught in the ... | 2 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2009-07-26 | HeatInyo County · forecast zone Death Valley National Park A group of seven tourists walked out into a dunes area in Death Valley National Park during the heat of the day. As they returned to their vehicles, one collapsed and died. Three others were treated for heat-related illnesses. | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-07-02 | AvalancheInyo County · forecast zone Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County Per the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, an avalanche above Red Lake on the northeast side of Split Mountain killed one hiker and injured two others. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2024-07-03 | Excessive HeatInyo County · forecast zone Death Valley National Park Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached on 10 straight days. One person died of heat-related causes, and one suffered a serious heat-related illness. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-12-30 | Cold/Wind ChillInyo County · forecast zone Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County A man attempted to climb Mt. Whitney solo despite having neither proper gear nor Alpine climbing experience. His body was found days later. It is presumed that he died of cold-related causes on the first day of his attempt. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-08-01 | HeatInyo County · forecast zone Death Valley National Park One person died of heat-related causes in Death Valley National Park. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-20 | Flash FloodDeep Spgs, Inyo County | 0 | 0 | $484M | |
| 2004-08-15 | Flash FloodDeath Vly, Inyo County | 2 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2015-10-18 | Flash FloodScottys Castle, Inyo County | 0 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2008-07-12 | Flash FloodIndependence, Inyo County | 0 | 1 | $14M | |
| 2017-06-02 | FloodLaws, Inyo County | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2023-08-20 | Flash FloodLone Pine, Inyo County | 0 | 0 | $9.7M | |
| 2011-03-18 | WildfireInyo County · forecast zone Owens Valley | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | |
| 2023-03-10 | FloodRovana, Inyo County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M |
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 Inyo 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 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 156 | 143 | 86 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 18 | 144 | 89 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 55 | 54 | 34 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 18 | 58 z |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 8 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 58 records against 18 in the decade before, 58 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 Inyo 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 Inyo County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 86 · Feb 101 · Mar 105 · Apr 90 · May 54 · Jun 57 · Jul 119 · Aug 85 · Sep 56 · Oct 66 · Nov 50 · Dec 79 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Inyo County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Inyo County: 11 major disasters, 4 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (7) 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 |
| 2023-01-14 | DR-4683 | 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 |
| 2017-03-16 | DR-4305 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2017-02-14 | DR-4301 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2011-01-26 | DR-1952 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows |
| 2007-07-07 | FM-2706 | Fire | Inyo Fire Complex |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1995-03-12 | DR-1046 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow |
| 1978-02-15 | DR-547 | Flood | Coastal Storms, Mudslides & Flooding |
| 1977-01-20 | EM-3023 | Drought | Drought |
| 1969-01-26 | DR-253 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1967-01-02 | DR-223 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Inyo County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 255 flood or flash flood records for Inyo County from 1997 to 2026, on 154 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Inyo County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Hilary | 2023-08-20 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $12,000 on 4 claims filed in Inyo County; the most in one year was 1 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 2012: 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 Inyo County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Inyo County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $28.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | $3.3M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $9.4M | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $8.5M | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $429K | once in about 437 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $16K | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.6M | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $44K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $88K | 16 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 Inyo 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
- High wind and dust storms in CaliforniaThe state's high wind and dust 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 Inyo CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Inyo County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis