Lassen County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06035 · population 32,683 · 4,541 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 624 records for Lassen County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 425 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (368 records). 512 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 most damaging was the December 31, 2005 flood ($7.6 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1964, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Wildfires” on August 24, 2021.
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
- 624on 425 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 04 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2021
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 Lassen County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 368 since 1996. 45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 368 | 262 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $395K | 22 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 123 | 97 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.6M | 48 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 61 | 41 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 57 |
| Hail | 16 | 14 | 1957-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 13 | 11 | 1998-2013 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 46 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 13 | 12 | 1958-2017 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 36 of 57 |
| Floods | 12 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 1 | $8.2M | 57 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2007-2024 | 0 | 0 | $107K | 53 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 5 | 5 | 2005-2025 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 41 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 2 | 2015-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 57 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | $69K | 34 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 57 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 2 | – | 40 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 Lassen County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Lassen County from 2015 to 2020, the strongest rated EF1, 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Lassen County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in California.
Every tornado record filed for Lassen County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-08-15 | Plumas, Lassen County | EFU 3.16 mi x 156 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-15 | Coyoteville, Lassen County | EF1 0.09 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-15 | Plumas, Lassen County | EF1 0.43 mi x 137 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-20 | Constantia, Lassen County | EF0 3.15 mi x 20 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 Lassen County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 24, 2025 flood ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-03 | Strong WindLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | Heavy SnowLassen County and 3 more · forecast zone Lassen Volcanic National Park | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-11 | Winter WeatherLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-10 | Heavy SnowButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | High WindLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Winter StormLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Heavy SnowLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Winter StormButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-09 | Winter WeatherLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-03 | Heavy SnowLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-02 | Heavy SnowButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-24 | Heavy SnowButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Mt Shasta/Western Plumas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-07-26 | LightningEagle Lake Resort, Lassen County Two people were struck by lightning while docking their boat at Eagle Lake. One individual was hospitalized. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2025-11-05 | High WindLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra Doyle RAWS, Hidden Valley RAWS, and Pierce RAWS reported peak wind gusts of 70, 60 and 61 mph, respectively. The Lassen County EM reported wind damage in and around Susanville and Standish, including broken power poles (80+ different power outages) and trees down. A weather spotter in Susanville reported that a pine ... | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $80K |
| 1997-01-01 | FloodLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra Please see flood summary under Nevada zones from 1/01/97 to 1/17/97. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-12-31 | FloodSusanville, Lassen County | 0 | 0 | $7.6M | |
| 2017-02-09 | FloodSusanville, Lassen County | 0 | 0 | $602K | |
| 1997-01-22 | Heavy SnowLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 0 | 0 | $368K | |
| 2002-12-14 | High WindLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $361K |
| 2025-11-05 | High WindLassen County and 2 more · forecast zone Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $80K |
| 2025-07-30 | Debris FlowConstantia, Lassen County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2025-12-24 | FloodStandish, Lassen County | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 Lassen 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 | – | – | – | – | 48 | 163 | 69 | 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 45 | 27 | 37 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 29 | 20 |
| Hail | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 115 · Feb 109 · Mar 85 · Apr 60 · May 16 · Jun 11 · Jul 29 · Aug 9 · Sep 10 · Oct 17 · Nov 45 · Dec 118 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lassen County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Lassen County: 13 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (5) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-24 | DR-4610 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2021-07-20 | FM-5400 | Fire | Dixie Fire |
| 2020-08-22 | DR-4558 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-08-22 | FM-5339 | Fire | Sheep Fire |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-04-01 | DR-4308 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2017-02-14 | DR-4301 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2014-08-03 | FM-5069 | Fire | Bald Fire |
| 2006-02-03 | DR-1628 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1155 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1995-03-12 | DR-1046 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow |
| 1995-01-10 | DR-1044 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud Flows |
| 1993-02-03 | DR-979 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Mud & Land Slides, & Flooding |
| 1986-02-21 | DR-758 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-01-20 | EM-3023 | Drought | Drought |
| 1970-02-16 | DR-283 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-183 | 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 Lassen County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 12 flood or flash flood records for Lassen County from 1997 to 2025, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lassen County ranks 1648th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 52 claims filed in Lassen County; the most in one year was 22 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 2 · 1995: 21 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 3 · 2008: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2017: 22; 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 Lassen County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lassen County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.4 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 | $7.3M | once in about 90 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $924K | 83 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $191K | 26 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $13M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.1M | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $3K | once in about 455 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $101K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | 2.5 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 Lassen 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
- Winter storms in CaliforniaThe state's winter storm 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 Lassen CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lassen County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis