Lewis County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53041 · population 82,036 · 2,403 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 374 records for Lewis County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 313 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (182 records). 355 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 day on its record was February 19, 2012: avalanche records filed for Lewis County that day count 4 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 37 declarations naming the county since 1964, 35 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
- 374on 313 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 4451 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $179Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 37latest 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 Lewis County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 182 since 1996. 45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 182 | 165 | 1996-2025 | 7 | 10 | $2.7M | 24 of 39 |
| High wind and dust storms | 86 | 75 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 7 | $40M | 27 of 39 |
| Floods | 30 | 23 | 1997-2022 | 3 | 0 | $100M | 23 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 30 | 27 | 1996-2021 | 27 | 30 | $13M | 7 of 39 |
| Heat | 21 | 17 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 39 |
| Drought | 6 | 2 | 2001-2005 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 18 of 39 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2015-2024 | 2 | 2 | – | 19 of 39 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2001-2006 | 0 | 0 | $73K | 21 of 39 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2013 | 0 | 2 | $3K | 17 of 39 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1965-2011 | 0 | 0 | $249K | 22 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2017-2020 | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | 28 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.
How many tornadoes has Lewis County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Lewis County from 1965 to 2011, the strongest rated F2, 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 Lewis County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Washington.
Every tornado record filed for Lewis County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-27 | Napavine, Lewis County | EF0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2010-10-25 | Toledo-Winlock, Lewis County | EF0 0.01 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1965-11-10 | Lewis County | F2 1.5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
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 Lewis County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 11, 2021 avalanche (1 death).
Shortly before 11AM PST on December 11, Pierce County Sheriff noted an avalanche fatality in the Silver Basin Backcountry Ski Area on Crystal Mountain in the Southern Cascades. A total of 6 skiers were caught in the avalanche, all carrying beacons, but one person was unable to survive. High Avalanche Danger was forecast by the Northwest Avalanche Center.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 998613)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-24 | High WindLewis County and Pierce County · forecast zone Cascades Of Pierce And Lewis Counties | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-15 | Heavy SnowLewis County and Pierce County · forecast zone Cascades Of Pierce And Lewis Counties | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-12-11 | AvalancheLewis County and Pierce County · forecast zone Cascades Of Pierce And Lewis Counties | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-11-12 | FloodSilver Brook, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $573K | |
| 2021-01-13 | FloodChehalis River At Centralia, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2021-01-03 | FloodDoty, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2017-08-22 | WildfireLewis County and Thurston County · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2016-03-26 | Cold/Wind ChillLewis County and Pierce County · forecast zone Cascades Of Pierce And Lewis Counties | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2015-06-11 | Cold/Wind ChillLewis County and Pierce County · forecast zone Cascades Of Pierce And Lewis Counties | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-12-11 | Strong WindLewis County and Thurston County · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2014-10-25 | Strong WindLewis County and Thurston County · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 26 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $623K |
| 2014-04-27 | AvalancheKing County and 2 more · forecast zone West Slopes Central Cascades And Passes | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-05-29 | BlizzardKing County and 2 more · forecast zone E King/E Pierce/E Lewis 3 climbers lost their lives near the top of Mt Rainier when high winds destroyed their tents and collapsed their snow caves. | 3 | 1 | – | |
| 2012-02-19 | AvalancheKing County and 2 more · forecast zone West Slopes Central Cascades And Passes Outside of the Stevens Pass ski area, a skier triggered an avalanche which killed 3. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-12-01 | AvalancheKing County and 2 more · forecast zone West Slopes Central Cascades And Passes Three snowboarders were presumed dead near Crystal Mountain. They were found in mid June 2008 in their sleeping bags once the snow had melted enough. It is presumed they were buried in an avalanche during the night of Dec 1 or early morning of Dec 2. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-11 | AvalancheKing County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Cascade Foothills An avalanche killed 3 hikers. The hikers left on Dec. 27th, didn't return on the 29th as expected and weren't found until Jan 11th. They were found buried in an avalanche near Index. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-12-02 | AvalancheKing County and 2 more · forecast zone West Slopes Central Cascades And Passes Two hikers were killed, and one injured, by an avalanche near Snoqualmie Pass. | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-11-04 | FloodPackwood, Lewis County Record flooding occurred on the Cowlitz, Nooksack, Puyallup, Nisqually, Skykomish, Stillaguamish, Carbon, Snoqualmie, and Bogachiel. Major flooding occurred on the Tolt, Snohomish, Skokomish, Skagit, and White rivers. Other rivers flooding were the Satsop, Cedar, Wynoochee, Elwha, Deschutes, Dungeness, Skookumchuck, ... | 2 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2005-05-21 | Winter StormKing County and 2 more · forecast zone E King/E Pierce/E Lewis Two men died near the 8000 ft level while climbing up Mt Rainier. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-12-25 | AvalancheKing County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Slopes Northern Cascades And Passes Two hikers were killed by an avalanche in Alpental Valley northwest of Snoqualmie Pass. It was unsure when and how the avalanche started. | 2 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-02 | FloodDoty, Lewis County | 1 | 0 | $71M | |
| 2003-12-04 | High WindKing County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Cascade Foothills | 69 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $20M |
| 2005-03-10 | DroughtKing County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Cascade Foothills | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 2006-11-04 | FloodPackwood, Lewis County | 2 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2009-01-07 | Debris FlowKing County and 2 more · forecast zone West Slopes Central Cascades And Passes | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2009-01-07 | FloodChehalis River At Centralia, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2017-08-22 | WildfireLewis County and Thurston County · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2000-01-16 | High WindGrays Harbor County and 3 more · forecast zone Thurston T X Se/Sw Mason/C&Se Grays Harbor/W Lewis | 66 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $4.8M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 10, 1965 (tornado, Lewis County).
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 Lewis 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 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 49 | 84 | 39 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 51 | 14 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 19 | 2 | 4 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 16 | 1 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
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 December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 68 · Feb 57 · Mar 48 · Apr 14 · May 7 · Jun 5 · Jul 6 · Aug 8 · Sep 5 · Oct 21 · Nov 55 · Dec 80 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lewis County
FEMA's register lists 37 declarations that include Lewis County: 34 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (19) and severe storm (13).
| 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 |
| 2020-04-23 | DR-4539 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4481 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3427 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-04-21 | DR-4309 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2012-03-05 | DR-4056 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2011-03-25 | DR-1963 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2007-02-14 | DR-1682 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2006-12-12 | DR-1671 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3227 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-03-01 | DR-1361 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1997-01-17 | DR-1159 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1100 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-03 | DR-1079 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Wind, and Flooding |
| 1993-03-04 | DR-981 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms & High Wind |
| 1991-03-08 | DR-896 | Flood | Severe Storms & High Tides |
| 1990-11-26 | DR-883 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1990-01-18 | DR-852 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1986-12-15 | DR-784 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1977-12-10 | DR-545 | Flood | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding |
| 1975-12-13 | DR-492 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-414 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1972-02-01 | DR-322 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1971-02-09 | DR-300 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Melting Snows & Flooding |
| 1964-12-29 | DR-185 | 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 Lewis County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 30 flood or flash flood records for Lewis County from 1997 to 2022, on 23 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lewis County ranks 184th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $82.7 million on 2,102 claims filed in Lewis County; the most in one year was 639 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1980: 43 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1986: 27 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 264 · 1991: 17 · 1994: 5 · 1995: 25 · 1996: 550 · 1997: 4 · 1998: 28 · 1999: 7 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 7 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 92 · 2007: 639 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 214 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 39 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 88 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 18; 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 Lewis County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lewis County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $70.9 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 | Relatively High | $1.3M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $30M | once in about 52 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $195K | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | $287K | once in about 80 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $37M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.2M | 3.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $263K | once in about 7,149 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $40K | 29 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 Lewis 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 WashingtonEvery Washington tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in WashingtonThe state's winter storm 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 Lewis CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lewis County's FEMA declarations (CSV)37 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis