Mason County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53045 · population 65,689 · 960 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 265 records for Mason County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 188 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (108 records). 248 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 32 declarations naming the county since 1964, 30 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
- 265on 188 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 129 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $60Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 32latest 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 Mason County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 108 since 1996. 53% 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 | 108 | 82 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.6M | 20 of 39 |
| High wind and dust storms | 93 | 67 | 1996-2021 | 5 | 6 | $24M | 13 of 39 |
| Floods | 33 | 23 | 1997-2021 | 1 | 0 | $2.9M | 4 of 39 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 8 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $28M | 9 of 39 |
| Drought | 6 | 2 | 2001-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 6 | 1996-2011 | 5 | 2 | $865K | 11 of 39 |
| Heat | 5 | 3 | 2021-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 39 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 1 | $131K | 10 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2012-2015 | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | 25 of 39 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 1985-1985 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 39 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | $173K | 23 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 Mason County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Mason County from 2019 to 2019, 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 1 tornado whose track touched Mason County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Washington.
Every tornado record filed for Mason County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-18 | Bay Shr, Mason County | EF1 0.68 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $173K |
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 Mason County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 13, 2020 strong wind ($1.1 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Strong winds led to downed trees and powerlines blocking both lanes of traffic along SR-3. Washington State Patrol closed the road in both directions for a period of time.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 924946)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-24 | Heavy RainLilliwaup, Mason County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Winter WeatherJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-10-13 | Strong WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2019-10-18 | TornadoBay Shr, Mason County | EF1 0.68 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $173K |
| 2015-07-31 | WildfireGrays Harbor County and Mason County · forecast zone Lower Chehalis Valley Area | 0 | 0 | $996K | |
| 2014-12-11 | High WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2014-11-29 | High WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $374K |
| 2013-09-05 | LightningSanderson Field S, Mason County | 0 | 1 | $3K | |
| 2012-10-04 | WildfireJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2010-12-12 | FloodSkokomish River Near Potlatch, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $947K | |
| 2010-11-22 | Strong WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 48 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $541K |
| 2009-01-07 | FloodShelton, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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 | – | |
| 2006-12-14 | High WindGrays Harbor County and Mason County · forecast zone Lower Chehalis Valley Area A McCleary man was killed when a tree fell onto a trailer he was sleeping in. A roof blew off a 3 story building in Montesano. | 78 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 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 | FloodPotlatch, Mason County The Skokomish at Potlatch reach a record flood stage of 18.12 feet. Two bridges were washed away, one over the Tahuya River and one over Finch creek. All schools in the county were closed monday. Several roads were closed and a few people were evacuated from their homes. A man was swept away in the Tahuya river. | 1 | 0 | $17K | |
| 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 | |
| 2007-12-02 | High WindGrays Harbor County and Mason County · forecast zone Lower Chehalis Valley Area Several roads were blocked by fallen trees west of Montesano. One man died in Montesano when his oxygen supply failed because of a power outage. | 56 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 2000-01-16 | High WindGrays Harbor County and 3 more · forecast zone Thurston T X Se/Sw Mason/C&Se Grays Harbor/W Lewis Sustained winds of 40 to 45 mph blew through most of western Washington knocking out power to 300,000 homes. One man was killed as a tree was blown onto his pickup truck. Ferry service was distrupted and the 520 bridge across Lake Washington was closed for nearly 12 hours. There were dozens of trees downed, some of ... | 66 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 1997-03-30 | High WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula Two deaths were reported from a wind storm that hit on Easter Sunday. One woman was killed when a tree fell on the pickup truck her husband was driving. Another man died when his canoe overturned in the winds and seas on Burley Lagoon off of Puget Sound. Many other boaters on Puget Sound needed rescuing, although a ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-03-01 | Heavy RainLilliwaup, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 1999-03-25 | Heavy RainHoodsport, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | |
| 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 |
| 2006-12-14 | High WindJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2007-12-02 | High WindGrays Harbor County and Mason County · forecast zone Lower Chehalis Valley Area | 56 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 2012-10-04 | WildfireJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone Hood Canal Area | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2001-12-13 | High WindGrays Harbor County and 3 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2009-01-07 | FloodShelton, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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 Mason 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 | – | – | – | – | 14 | 37 | 33 | 24 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 23 | 48 | 19 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 23 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% 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 52 · Feb 33 · Mar 35 · Apr 4 · May 4 · Jun 1 · Jul 3 · Aug 3 · Sep 3 · Oct 24 · Nov 39 · Dec 64 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mason County
FEMA's register lists 32 declarations that include Mason County: 28 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (13) and flood (12).
| 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 |
| 2023-07-05 | FM-5468 | Fire | McEwan Fire |
| 2022-03-29 | DR-4650 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2012-03-05 | DR-4056 | 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 |
| 2006-05-17 | 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 |
| 1993-03-04 | DR-981 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms & High Wind |
| 1990-11-26 | DR-883 | 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 |
| 1975-12-13 | DR-492 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-414 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1965-05-11 | DR-196 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 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 Mason County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Mason County from 1997 to 2021, on 23 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mason County ranks 738th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.4 million on 305 claims filed in Mason County; the most in one year was 67 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 5 · 1982: 7 · 1983: 2 · 1986: 4 · 1987: 3 · 1990: 3 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 21 · 1995: 11 · 1996: 6 · 1997: 40 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 7 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 5 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 18 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 6 · 2007: 67 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 10 · 2010: 12 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 40 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 2 · 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 Mason County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mason County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $44.3 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 High | $500K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $26M | once in about 34 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $15M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $653K | 2.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $47K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $8 | once in about 1,000 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $26K | once in about 15,290 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Mason 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 Mason CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mason County's FEMA declarations (CSV)32 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis