Malheur County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41045 · population 31,546 · 9,888 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 181 records for Malheur County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 142 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (52 records). The most damaging was the January 18, 2017 heavy snow ($120 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1964, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Durkee Fire” on July 22, 2024.
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
- 181on 142 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $129Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2024
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 Malheur County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 52 since 1969. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in July and August. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 52 | 40 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 0 | $997K | 20 of 36 |
| Winter storms | 43 | 34 | 2001-2024 | 0 | 0 | $120M | 36 of 36 |
| Floods | 26 | 23 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 30 of 36 |
| Hail | 26 | 25 | 1970-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | 26 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 10 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 6 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 5 | 1966-1997 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 26 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 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 Malheur County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Malheur County from 1966 to 1997, 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 Malheur 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 Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Malheur County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-06-17 | Ontario, Malheur County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-04-30 | Ontario Airport, Malheur County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-04-23 | Malheur County | F1 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-06-21 | Malheur County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-06-21 | Malheur County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-08-25 | Malheur County | F1 19.1 mi x 100 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 Malheur County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 18, 2017 heavy snow ($120 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Numerous social media reports were received of 13 to 15 inches of snow around Ontario and Nyssa and 12 inches at Vale. Significant damage occurred to agricultural buildings housing fresh produce.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 678719)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-28 | Thunderstorm WindRome, Malheur County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-28 | Thunderstorm WindRome, Malheur County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-03 | Thunderstorm WindDrewsey, Malheur County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Malheur County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-09 | Debris FlowBorgan, Malheur County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindRome, Malheur County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-16 | High WindMalheur County · forecast zone Malheur | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-20 | FloodMallett, Malheur County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindNyssa, Malheur County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindRome, Malheur County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-01-18 | Heavy SnowMalheur County · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | $120M | |
| 2003-07-26 | HailVale, Malheur County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.5M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-18 | Heavy SnowMalheur County · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley | 0 | 0 | $120M | |
| 2003-07-26 | HailVale, Malheur County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.5M |
| 1994-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindMalheur County | 0 | 0 | $995K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 21, 1967 (tornado, Malheur 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 Malheur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 16 | 24 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
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 severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 18 · Feb 9 · Mar 9 · Apr 11 · May 17 · Jun 30 · Jul 32 · Aug 20 · Sep 9 · Oct 3 · Nov 5 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Malheur County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Malheur County: 3 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for biological (2) and fire (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-22 | FM-5516 | Fire | Durkee Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 Malheur County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 26 flood or flash flood records for Malheur County from 1996 to 2025, on 23 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Malheur County ranks 1678th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $184,000 on 48 claims filed in Malheur County; the most in one year was 11 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 11 · 1982: 7 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 4 · 1993: 9 · 1997: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2012: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2025: 2; 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 Malheur County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Malheur County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.5 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 | $1.6M | once in about 177 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $213K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $12K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $830K | once in about 279 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $527K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $303K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.6M | about once 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 Malheur 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in OregonThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Malheur CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Malheur County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis