Jackson County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41029 · population 222,969 · 2,783 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 715 records for Jackson County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 489 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (198 records). 560 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 September 8, 2020 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Jackson County, which covers the county: 3 deaths and $11.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1964, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Fielder Mountain Fire” on August 14, 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
- 715on 489 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 145 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $33Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Jackson County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 198 since 1999. 59% of its winter storm records since 1999 fell in January and February. 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 | 198 | 106 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 1 | – | 27 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 149 | 137 | 1999-2026 | 2 | 0 | – | 6 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 101 | 80 | 1999-2024 | 3 | 1 | $1.8M | 25 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 101 | 84 | 1999-2025 | 5 | 0 | $17M | 6 of 36 |
| Hail | 63 | 29 | 1960-2021 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 8 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 44 | 32 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 1 | $629K | 3 of 36 |
| Heat | 25 | 14 | 2017-2024 | 2 | 0 | – | 21 of 36 |
| Floods | 22 | 17 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.8M | 20 of 36 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 2 | $150K | 10 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2008-2022 | 2 | 0 | $41K | 22 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 2008-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 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 Jackson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 3, 2026 thunderstorm wind (1 injury and $20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A long-lived thunderstorm produced strong winds across the city of Gold Hill. Damage included multiple trees falling across roads and power lines, and a fallen tree that damaged a home.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1324270)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindMedford Airport, Jackson County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindGold Hill, Jackson County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $20K |
| 2026-05-03 | LightningAshland, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $12K | |
| 2026-04-16 | Frost/FreezeJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Frost/FreezeJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter StormDouglas County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormJackson County and 2 more · forecast zone Siskiyou Mountains & Southern Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormDouglas County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter StormJackson County and 2 more · forecast zone Siskiyou Mountains & Southern Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter StormDouglas County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-03 | Winter StormDouglas County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Cascades | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-08 | WildfireJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County The Almeda Drive Wildfire started on 09/08/20 in the morning. The cause is under investigation. As of the last report at 0630 PDT on 09/15/20, the fire had burned 3200 acres and was 100 percent contained. This fire burned in a greenway and an adjacent urban area. 2,482 residential structures, 173 commercial buildings, ... | 3 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2024-07-04 | Excessive HeatJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County Persistent high pressure brought excessive heat to Jackson County for 6 consecutive days from July 4th through July 9th, and on July 13th. Advisory conditions occurred from July 10th through July 12th. During the excessive heat, low temperatures were generally in the lower 50s to lower 60s, and high temperatures from ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-08-01 | WildfireDouglas County and 2 more · forecast zone South Central Oregon Cascades The Big Swamp Wildfire was started by lightning at 1630 PST on 08/01/22. As of 0530 PST on 09/01/22, the fire covered 110 acres and was 97 percent contained. 0 structures were lost, and 2.1 million dollars had been spent on firefighting efforts. One firefighter was killed by a falling tree. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-01-23 | Strong WindJackson County and 2 more · forecast zone Siskiyou Mountains & Southern Oregon Cascades An Erickson helicopter pilot was killed when his aircraft crashed in a wooded area near Interstate 5 at an elevation of 4100 feet. The time of the crash is unknown, but it occurred in the morning and the pilot took off from Medford airport at 8:45 PST. Weather conditions at the time included showers, low ceilings, ... | 17 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2018-12-13 | Dense FogJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County A 26 year old Eagle Point man was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross Interstate 5 on foot. The accident occurred around 13/0615 PST near milepost 33 (Central Point, OR). It was dark and dense fog was reported in the area. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-11-12 | Cold/Wind ChillJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County A 39 year old man was found deceased in an irrigation ditch in Medford on the morning of 11/12/2018. Evidence collected indicated that hypothermia was the cause of death. The low temperature in Medford that morning was 25 degrees. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-07-17 | WildfireJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County A fire broke out on the Bear Creek Greenway near Penninger Road and Pine Street in Central Point late in the afternoon of 07/17/18. The point of origin was near a transient camp. The fire spread quickly to the south and east through fields surrounded by structures. At its peak, it burned into lands bordering the Rogue ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-12-10 | High WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County Sensor DW6803 at Science Works in Ashland recorded sporadic high wind gusts during this interval, with a peak gust of 74 mph recorded at 11/0303 PST and a sustained wind of 15 mph. The data from this source is suspect, but there were numerous reports of wind damage on this morning from around Jackson County, and there ... | 64 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $249K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-08 | WildfireJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 3 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2005-12-26 | FloodJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $8.8M | |
| 2010-08-24 | WildfireJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | |
| 1997-09-02 | HailMedford Airport, Jackson County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.9M |
| 2014-08-01 | WildfireJackson County and 2 more · forecast zone Siskiyou Mountains & Southern Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2008-01-03 | High WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2014-12-10 | High WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson County | 64 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $249K |
| 2025-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindTable Rock, Jackson County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $150K |
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 Jackson 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 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 90 | 40 | 63 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 55 | 63 | 28 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 22 | 64 | 14 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 7 | 23 | 39 | 32 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 15 | 24 | 1 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
59% of its winter storm records since 1999 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 89 · Feb 73 · Mar 55 · Apr 51 · May 36 · Jun 22 · Jul 59 · Aug 93 · Sep 45 · Oct 67 · Nov 38 · Dec 87 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jackson County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Jackson County: 6 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 11 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (13) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-14 | FM-5670 | Fire | Fielder Mountain Fire |
| 2025-06-18 | FM-5590 | Fire | Upper Applegate Road Fire |
| 2020-09-15 | DR-4562 | Fire | Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-09-10 | EM-3542 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-09-09 | FM-5364 | Fire | Almeda Glendower Fire |
| 2020-09-09 | FM-5367 | Fire | South Obenchain Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-08-24 | FM-5274 | Fire | Ramsey Canyon Fire |
| 2018-07-19 | FM-5256 | Fire | Garner Fire Complex |
| 2014-08-01 | FM-5066 | Fire | Oregon Gulch Fire |
| 2009-09-22 | FM-2838 | Fire | South County Fire Complex |
| 2006-03-20 | DR-1632 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-06 | FM-2496 | Fire | Or-Cove Road Fire-09-05-2003 |
| 2002-07-28 | FM-2454 | Fire | Timbered Rock Fire |
| 2002-07-17 | FM-2445 | Fire | Or - Squire Peak/Wall Creek Fire - 07/17/02 |
| 1997-01-23 | DR-1160 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land and Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1977-04-29 | EM-3039 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 22 flood or flash flood records for Jackson County from 1996 to 2025, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jackson County ranks 743rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.5 million on 304 claims filed in Jackson County; the most in one year was 126 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1981: 17 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 5 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 5 · 1996: 40 · 1997: 126 · 1998: 3 · 2000: 3 · 2002: 7 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 43 · 2006: 7 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 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 Jackson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jackson County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $122 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $905K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $25M | once in about 91 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $35M | once in about 80 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.9M | 6.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $54M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $336K | 9.8 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $37K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $202K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Jackson 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 Jackson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jackson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis