Jefferson County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41031 · population 24,472 · 1,782 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 455 records for Jefferson County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 318 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (182 records). 368 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 27, 2021 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Central Oregon, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1964, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Rowe Creek Fire Complex” on July 31, 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
- 455on 318 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 610 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest F0
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Jefferson County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 182 since 2000. 52% of its winter storm records since 2000 fell in December and January. 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 | 182 | 126 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 5 | $2.0M | 15 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 79 | 67 | 1998-2020 | 1 | 2 | $9.4M | 4 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 72 | 54 | 2000-2022 | 1 | 0 | $508K | 23 of 36 |
| Hail | 37 | 26 | 1958-2023 | 0 | 0 | $117K | 4 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 27 | 19 | 1969-2022 | 0 | 0 | $109K | 4 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 13 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | $98K | 15 of 36 |
| Heat | 15 | 10 | 2002-2022 | 2 | 0 | – | 19 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 36 |
| Floods | 4 | 3 | 2005-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 36 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2001-2013 | 1 | 0 | $63K | 9 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2005-2014 | 1 | 1 | $53K | 16 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 2 | $35K | 18 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 25 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.
How many tornadoes has Jefferson County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Jefferson County from 2004 to 2004, the strongest rated F0, 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Jefferson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Jefferson County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-09 | Madras, Jefferson County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 Jefferson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2021 excessive heat (2 deaths).
Calculated heat risk values at a GHCN in Bend, OR and at the Redmond Airport recorded several consecutive days between June 27th through June 30th of temperatures that met or exceeded excessive heat warning criteria. Many locations, including those of RAWS and NWS sites recorded multiple days of daily high temperatures over 105 degrees. In the Bend, OR area on June 28th, two fatalities reported were attributed to the excessive heat.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 968866)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-14 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-08 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Funnel CloudOpal City, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-16 | Heavy SnowCrook County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Oregon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-14 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-15 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowCrook County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Oregon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-12 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowCrook County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Oregon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-27 | Excessive HeatCrook County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Oregon Calculated heat risk values at a GHCN in Bend, OR and at the Redmond Airport recorded several consecutive days between June 27th through June 30th of temperatures that met or exceeded excessive heat warning criteria. Many locations, including those of RAWS and NWS sites recorded multiple days of daily high ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-08-01 | WildfireDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades Lightning sparked a fire about 14 miles north of Sisters OR on August 1st. A local news reports that 1 firefighter was killed and 2 were injured while working on the fire. The fire has grown to roughly 500 acres or 0.78 square miles. The injuries occurred as the tree fallers worked to suppress the fire. One ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2014-03-30 | AvalancheDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades A call came in at 3:30 P.M. to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reporting that an avalanche with a width of 200 yards and a length of about 100 yards had buried a man and his snowmobile. The depth of the debris field was about 3 to 5 feet. Search and Rescue crews located him around 5:50 P.M. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-09-07 | High WindCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands Tree fell on individual in the Ochoco National Forest. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2013-08-25 | LightningMadras, Jefferson County KPTV Fox 12 News reported the story. The article was posted online as well. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-12-21 | Winter StormJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon Light freezing rain that fell early in the morning left roads slick. This lead to at least 7 accidents over a period of 5 hours near the town of Madras. The most serious accident was a rollover on Highway 97 near High Bridge that injured several people. | 0 | 5 | $291K | |
| 1999-12-25 | Dense FogJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon Freezing fog in north central Oregon and elsewhere in the Columbia Basin led to several accidents in Jefferson Co, Oregon. Poor visibilities and slick roads contributed to a dozen or more accidents on Highway-97 south of Madras. Another accident just west of Sisters, Or. caused two injuries. | 0 | 2 | $35K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-09 | WildfireWarm Spgs, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $9.0M | |
| 2019-02-23 | Heavy SnowCrook County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Oregon | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2019-05-08 | WildfireDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | $346K | |
| 2000-12-21 | Winter StormJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 0 | 5 | $291K | |
| 1999-12-25 | Dense FogJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 0 | 2 | $35K | |
| 2004-06-09 | TornadoMadras, Jefferson County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 Jefferson 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 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 27 | 92 z | 63 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 4 | 23 | 48 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 25 | 43 | 4 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 2 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 12 | 7 |
Winter storms in the 2010s: 92 records against 27 in the decade before, 92 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 Jefferson 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?
52% of its winter storm records since 2000 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 54 · Feb 57 · Mar 25 · Apr 13 · May 22 · Jun 22 · Jul 49 · Aug 57 · Sep 23 · Oct 9 · Nov 42 · Dec 82 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jefferson County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Jefferson County: 7 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 11 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (13) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-31 | FM-5655 | Fire | Rowe Creek Fire Complex |
| 2026-07-23 | FM-5647 | Fire | Akawa Butte Fire |
| 2025-08-23 | FM-5610 | Fire | Flat Fire |
| 2025-06-17 | FM-5589 | Fire | Alder Springs Fire |
| 2024-08-06 | FM-5528 | Fire | Elk Lane Fire |
| 2020-09-15 | DR-4562 | Fire | Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-09-10 | EM-3542 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-09-08 | FM-5356 | Fire | Beachie Creek Lionshead Fire Complex |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-05-02 | DR-4432 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2018-06-22 | FM-5243 | Fire | Graham Fire |
| 2016-06-08 | FM-5126 | Fire | Akawana Fire |
| 2006-03-20 | DR-1632 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2003-08-20 | FM-2493 | Fire | Or-Booth Fire-8-19-2003 |
| 2002-07-29 | FM-2455 | Fire | Or - Cache Mountain Fire - 07/28/02 |
| 2002-07-16 | FM-2443 | Fire | Or - Eyerly Fire - 07/13/2002 |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1099 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1977-04-29 | EM-3039 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 4 flood or flash flood records for Jefferson County from 2005 to 2023, on 3 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jefferson County ranks 2477th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $13,000 on 7 claims filed in Jefferson County; the most in one year was 7 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 7; 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 Jefferson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.4 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 | $3.7M | once in about 196 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $497K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $7K | once in about 79 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $8K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $631K | once in about 223 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $60K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.6M | once in about 28 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $479K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Jefferson 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 OregonEvery Oregon tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- 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 Jefferson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jefferson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis