Lincoln County, Wyoming
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 56023 · population 19,576 · 4,075 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 795 records for Lincoln County, Wyoming from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 458 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (539 records). 687 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 12, 2008 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 5 declarations naming the county since 1977, 3 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides” on July 22, 2011.
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
- 795on 458 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1238 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.6Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 5latest 2020
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 Lincoln County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 539 since 1996. 47% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among Wyoming'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 | 539 | 272 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $139K | 9 of 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | 60 | 45 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 21 of 23 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 38 | 35 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 28 | $497K | 21 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 36 | 15 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 23 |
| Hail | 34 | 24 | 1983-2025 | 0 | 0 | $407K | 19 of 23 |
| Wildfires | 24 | 22 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 2 | – | 3 of 23 |
| Floods | 21 | 20 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 10 of 23 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 16 | 15 | 2006-2025 | 12 | 5 | $722K | 3 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 11 | 7 | 1997-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 23 |
| Heat | 9 | 6 | 2020-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1969-2001 | 0 | 0 | $90K | 21 of 23 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 3 | – | 17 of 23 |
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 Lincoln County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Lincoln County from 1969 to 2001, the strongest rated F1, 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Lincoln County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wyoming.
Every tornado record filed for Lincoln County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-07-10 | Opal, Lincoln County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-14 | La Barge, Lincoln County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-09-09 | Lincoln County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-02 | Lincoln County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-07-24 | Lincoln County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1969-06-10 | Lincoln County | F0 0.5 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Lincoln County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 20, 2025 avalanche (1 death).
Excerpt from the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center Accident Report: On Saturday, December 20, 2025 at approximately 2 PM, one skier in a party of two unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a north-facing, steep, rocky, and sparsely treed chute known as The Claw approximately two miles south of the main parking lot at Teton Pass. The slope failed above the skier. The debris ran 1,000 feet (600′ vertical fall) to the base of the avalanche path, carrying and critically burying the first skier among trees. The skier was taken to the local hospital and later flown to a larger regional medical center where he died six days later of multi-systems trauma sustained in the avalanche.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1306378)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindFossil Butte Nm, Lincoln County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindSage, Lincoln County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | High WindFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Green River Basin | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFossil Butte Nm, Lincoln County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-22 | High WindFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Green River Basin | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindEtna, Lincoln County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter StormFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter StormLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-17 | HeatFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Green River Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains | 106 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindLincoln County · forecast zone South Lincoln County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges | 123 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-01-12 | AvalancheLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges Three men were killed near Cottonwood Lake when an avalanche enveloped them and their snowmobiles. The slide was estimated to have been one-half mile long, 400 yards wide at the bottom, and covered about 10 acres at an average depth of 10 feet in the runout zone. The snow was powerful enough to uproot or snap trees ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-04 | AvalancheFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains Summary from the USDA FS Bridger Teton Avalanche Center report titled Radio Tower Peak Avalanche Accident: On Saturday, January 4 2025, at approximately 11 am, a group of four skiers unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a north-facing, sparsely treed slope above a steep-walled gully approximately one mile from ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-12-16 | AvalancheLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges An avalanche at 9,500 foot elevation occurred near Stewart Peak around 3:00 p.m. MST. The slide sent a slab of snow 400 feet long and 300 feet wide down a hillside. Two snowmobilers were caught in the snow which accumulated to nearly 10 feet in depth. One of the men was rescued after 20 minutes beneath the snow, while ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-12-20 | AvalancheFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains Excerpt from the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center Accident Report: On Saturday, December 20, 2025 at approximately 2 PM, one skier in a party of two unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a north-facing, steep, rocky, and sparsely treed chute known as The Claw approximately two miles south of the main parking lot at ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-01-14 | AvalancheLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges From Bridger-Teton National Forecast Avalanche Forecast Staff: On January 14, 2024, at approximately 11:30 AM, a skier unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a mid-elevation (8,500 – ), northwest-facing, sparsely treed slope above an indistinct gully on the Northwest Face of Little Poudre Mountain. This large, soft ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-02-23 | AvalancheLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges A 24 year old man on a snowmobile triggered an avalanche and was buried under 6 to 7 feet of snow. The riding party worked to dig him out, with the later assistance of Star Valley SAR, who arrived on scene shortly after a radio out for help. Sadly, the man did not survive the incident. More info can be found in the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-02-17 | AvalancheLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges Please see narrative for details. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-12-22 | AvalancheLincoln County and Sublette County · forecast zone Salt River & Wyoming Ranges A 31 year old man riding in the Wyoming Range to the East of Alpine was riding a snowmobile in steep terrain when he triggered a 100 foot by 100 foot slab avalanche. The avalanche flipped his snowmobile and he was pinned under the snowmobile for an hour before being dug out. He was pronounced dead at the scene. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-12 | Flash FloodLa Barge, Lincoln County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2011-05-14 | Debris FlowLincoln County and Teton County · forecast zone Jackson Hole | 0 | 0 | $656K | |
| 2010-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindTurnerville, Lincoln County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $474K |
| 2011-08-15 | HailAuburn, Lincoln County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2011-05-15 | FloodFairview, Lincoln County | 0 | 0 | $262K | |
| 2025-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindAfton, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindAfton, Lincoln County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindLincoln County · forecast zone Star Valley | 44 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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: July 24, 1980 (tornado, Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 | – | – | – | – | 42 | 132 | 203 | 162 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 2 | 18 | 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 6 | 1 | 13 | 16 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 1 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 11 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% 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 152 · Feb 142 · Mar 85 · Apr 38 · May 19 · Jun 44 · Jul 27 · Aug 26 · Sep 27 · Oct 35 · Nov 59 · Dec 141 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lincoln County
FEMA's register lists 5 declarations that include Lincoln County: 2 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for biological (2) and severe storm (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-11 | DR-4535 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3479 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-07-22 | DR-4007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2002-08-31 | FM-2460 | Fire | Wy - Commissary Ridge Fire - 08/31/02 |
| 1977-06-15 | EM-3043 | Drought | Drought |
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 Lincoln County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Lincoln County from 1997 to 2024, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lincoln County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $66,000 on 11 claims filed in Lincoln County; the most in one year was 4 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1997: 2 · 2011: 4 · 2023: 4; 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 Lincoln County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lincoln County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | $7.5M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $359K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $144K | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $562K | 37 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.0M | once in about 40 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $644K | once in about 659 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $7 | once in about 2,500 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lincoln 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 WyomingEvery Wyoming tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in WyomingThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Wyoming recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Lincoln CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lincoln County's FEMA declarations (CSV)5 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis