Jefferson County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53031 · population 32,896 · 1,804 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 487 records for Jefferson County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 309 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (272 records). 471 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 January 19, 1997 debris flow, filed for the forecast zone Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula, which covers the county: 4 deaths. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1979, 27 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” 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
- 487on 309 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 167 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $72Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 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 high wind and dust records: 272 since 1996. 40% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in November and December. The rank column places the county among Washington'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 | 272 | 169 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 5 | $44M | 7 of 39 |
| Winter storms | 125 | 90 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $8.3M | 29 of 39 |
| Floods | 29 | 20 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 20 of 39 |
| Heat | 26 | 24 | 2021-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 9 | 9 | 1996-2015 | 5 | 2 | $1.1M | 14 of 39 |
| Drought | 8 | 2 | 2001-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 39 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 8 | 1999-2025 | 1 | 0 | $15M | 15 of 39 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 39 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | $47K | 12 of 39 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 3 | 0 | – | 12 of 39 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 39 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 1 | 0 | – | 29 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 31 of 39 |
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 Jefferson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 12, 2021 flood ($603,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Heavy rain caused surface runoff, landslides, and urban and small stream flooding. One to three inches of rain fell during the day.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 994296)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-11 | HeatClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Northern Washington Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-25 | High WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-25 | High WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-24 | Heavy RainQuilcene, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-03 | Winter WeatherClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Winter WeatherJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-02 | Winter WeatherClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-01 | Winter WeatherClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-01-12 | FloodHoh, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $603K | |
| 2020-12-30 | Strong WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.7M |
| 2020-10-13 | Strong WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-19 | Debris FlowJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula A mudslide kills a family of four while they were sleeping in their home. The house, on Bainbridge Island, slid down a hill into Puget Sound. 20 other homes in the vicinity were evacuated. Two days before the slide, the nearby city of Hoodsport received 2.91 inches of rain in 24 hours. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-02-12 | High SurfClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast Three Coast Guard crew men were killed when their boat overturned in rough seas. They were on a search and rescue mission off the Quillayute River Bar when their boat capsized throwing all four of the crew overboard. One survived. It was the first fatal capsizing for that type of rescue boat in its 35 year history. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-12-25 | High WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area An automated system in Freeland on Whidbey Island reported about 2.5 hours of high wind, both sustained and gust. A 9 year old girl was killed, and her father injured, when the top part of a tree broke and fell on their SUV. | 43 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2012-09-28 | Dense FogClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast A man was presumed dead following a fishing boat collision off of La Push in thick fog. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-01-14 | Strong WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area A Port Ludlow woman was killed when a tree struck her car. | 43 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2007-12-03 | Debris FlowJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area A Mason County man was killed when he was buried in his bedroom while sleeping after it was hit by a landslide during the early morning hours. | 1 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2003-10-28 | High WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area High winds knocked out power to nearly 100,000 people. Ferry service was halted for several hours. Off Foulweather Bluff, in Kitsap county, a boat capsized, and a boat house sank in Clallam county. A shoreline restaurant in Mukilteo sustained damage from the high winds and wind driven waves that crashed through ... | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 2001-11-28 | High WindClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone W Clallam/W Jefferson Brief high wind occurred along the Washington coast. One man died when a falling tree hit his vehicle. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-11-04 | Heavy RainHoh, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $8.1M | |
| 2006-11-26 | Heavy SnowIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | |
| 2020-12-30 | Strong WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.7M |
| 2006-11-15 | High WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.4M |
| 2007-12-03 | High WindClallam County and Jefferson County · forecast zone North Coast | 67 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $4.3M |
| 2007-12-02 | Heavy RainBrinnon, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | |
| 2006-12-14 | High WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2000-12-14 | High WindIsland County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Admiralty Inlet Area | 77 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.6M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 30 | 106 | 112 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 42 | 35 | 33 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 19 | 5 | 2 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
40% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in November and December. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 89 · Feb 59 · Mar 59 · Apr 11 · May 9 · Jun 4 · Jul 5 · Aug 7 · Sep 8 · Oct 42 · Nov 91 · Dec 103 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jefferson County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Jefferson County: 27 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) and flood (11).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4906 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2025-12-12 | EM-3629 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-04-28 | DR-4775 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-01-12 | DR-4682 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2022-03-29 | DR-4650 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2022-01-05 | DR-4635 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-04-08 | DR-4593 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4481 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3427 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-03-04 | DR-4418 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, Tornado |
| 2016-02-02 | DR-4253 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and A T |
| 2016-01-15 | DR-4249 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-10-15 | DR-4242 | Severe Storm | Severe Windstorm |
| 2009-03-02 | DR-1825 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow |
| 2009-01-30 | DR-1817 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding |
| 2007-12-08 | DR-1734 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2006-12-12 | DR-1671 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2006-05-17 | DR-1641 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tidal Surge, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3227 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-11-07 | DR-1499 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-03-01 | DR-1361 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1997-04-02 | DR-1172 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snow Melt, Flooding, Land & Mud Slides |
| 1997-01-17 | DR-1159 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1996-01-03 | DR-1079 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Wind, and Flooding |
| 1994-08-02 | DR-1037 | Fishing Losses | The El Nino (the Salmon Industry) |
| 1991-03-08 | DR-896 | Flood | Severe Storms & High Tides |
| 1990-11-26 | DR-883 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1986-02-15 | DR-757 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1979-12-31 | DR-612 | Flood | Storms, High Tides, Mudslides & 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 29 flood or flash flood records for Jefferson County from 1997 to 2024, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jefferson County ranks 1637th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $623,000 on 53 claims filed in Jefferson County; the most in one year was 5 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 3 · 1980: 2 · 1982: 5 · 1983: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 3 · 2007: 5 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2025: 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 Jefferson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $17.0 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 Moderate | $123K | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $10M | once in about 34 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $162K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $189K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $515K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.2M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $220K | once in about 32 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $888 | once in about 100 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
- High wind and dust storms in WashingtonThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Washington 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)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis