Mono County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06051 · population 13,147 · 3,049 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 915 records for Mono County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 623 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (400 records). 780 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 October 15, 2016 strong wind, filed for the forecast zone Mono, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1969, 12 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 3, 2023.
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
- 915on 623 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 818 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.4Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 2023
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 Mono County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 400 since 1996. 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 | 400 | 326 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $188K | 14 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 358 | 249 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 3 | $8.2M | 23 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 71 | 47 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 30 | 28 | 1998-2025 | 2 | 10 | $320K | 16 of 57 |
| Floods | 24 | 20 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $669K | 51 of 57 |
| Hail | 10 | 10 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 1 | – | 36 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 8 | 8 | 1980-2025 | 0 | 0 | $820 | 37 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2007-2025 | 1 | 0 | $71K | 51 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 57 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2004-2019 | 0 | 2 | – | 32 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Mono County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 26, 2025 avalanche (1 death).
Two ski patrollers working avalanche mitigation on Lincoln Mountain at the Mammoth Mountain ski resort were injured and transported to hospitals due to an avalanche. One of the ski patrollers died on Sunday Dec. 28 after being seriously injured in the avalanche from Friday Dec. 26. A second avalanche occurred in the county on 12/27, reported around 1130 am, above Latopie Lake, 3 S of Sonora Pass. This was triggered by a snow-mobile with two people caught in the large avalanche, one was buried and injured, the other walked away. He was rescued by the Mono Co SAR team, which is how we received the report.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1300575)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-17 | High WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-03 | Strong WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | Heavy SnowMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-11 | Heavy SnowMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | High WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 84 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 98 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-24 | High WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 76 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Heavy SnowMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Heavy SnowMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-09 | Heavy SnowMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-03 | Heavy SnowMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-26 | AvalancheMono County · forecast zone Mono | 1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-10-15 | Strong WindMono County · forecast zone Mono Strong winds blowing from west to east across June Lake caused very choppy waters on the 15th. Five males (none wearing life jackets) were in a boat which capsized, causing the death of three of the males. Two of the men reached shore and were treated and released. The three victims were found by divers on the morning ... | 35 kt wind | 3 | 0 | – |
| 2006-02-01 | AvalancheMono County · forecast zone Mono Three skiers were caught in a slab avalanche while crossing an open area on their way to Mt. Walt west of Twin Lakes. According to a newspaper report, all three were experienced skiers and all of them carried avalanche beacons. One skier survived the avalanche by hanging onto a tree at the edge of the snow slide. The ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-12-26 | AvalancheMono County · forecast zone Mono Two ski patrollers working avalanche mitigation on Lincoln Mountain at the Mammoth Mountain ski resort were injured and transported to hospitals due to an avalanche. One of the ski patrollers died on Sunday Dec. 28 after being seriously injured in the avalanche from Friday Dec. 26. A second avalanche occurred in the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-11-17 | WildfireMono County · forecast zone Mono Mountain View Fire near Walker and Coleville, CA associated with prolonged period of wind gusts over 70 MPH with peak measurement of 92 MPH at a Liberty Utilities mesonet south of Topaz Lake. 20,385 Acres. From media over 90 structures destroyed and one fatality. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-02-22 | Winter WeatherMono County · forecast zone Mono California Highway Patrol stated that a GMC pickup driven by a male was heading south on US 395 near Green Creek Road when it lost control on the snow covered roadway and overturned into Virginia Creek. Authorities say both passengers were able to get out of the truck as it started to fill up with water. Fire crews ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-11-19 | Winter StormMono County · forecast zone Mono There were 2 main periods of snow with this slow moving storm, with one period from late evening on the 19th to the morning of the 20th and the second period about 24 hours later. Much more snow fell west of highway 395 than along and east, with storm totals of 2.5 to 3.5 feet near the Sierra crest and only 6 to 12 ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-03-03 | AvalancheMono County · forecast zone Mono An avalanche at Mammoth Mountain occurred at approximately 1015PST on 3 March during a avalanche hazard mitigation search performed by the area ski patrol. The snow slid down down a steep run and funneled into a narrow chute named Upper Dry Creek before coming to a stop a the base of a chairlift. Six Mammoth Mountain ... | 0 | 6 | – | |
| 2022-02-14 | Winter StormMono County · forecast zone Mono At 9:29 PM PST, Caltrans issued a high-profile vehicle prohibition for all of Mono County due to high winds. At 12:15 AM PST, California Highway Patrol was notified of an overturned semi-truck in the center ditch going southbound on US-395 just south of Lake Crowley. At 12:10 AM a utility company's anemometer (ID: ... | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-12-19 | Strong WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 49 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2015-12-03 | Strong WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 33 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $623K |
| 2001-02-06 | High WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 54 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $500K |
| 2015-10-18 | Flash FloodChalfant, Mono County | 0 | 0 | $374K | |
| 2000-11-29 | High WindMono County · forecast zone Mono | 73 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $317K |
| 2021-01-28 | AvalancheMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 1 | $272K |
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 Mono 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 | – | – | – | – | 39 | 149 | 95 | 117 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 93 | 60 | 188 z |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 1 | 8 | 36 | 26 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 15 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 11 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 188 records against 60 in the decade before, 188 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Mono County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Mono County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 151 · Feb 147 · Mar 133 · Apr 71 · May 29 · Jun 17 · Jul 45 · Aug 27 · Sep 22 · Oct 32 · Nov 87 · Dec 154 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mono County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Mono County: 10 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-03 | DR-4699 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-03-10 | EM-3592 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-01-09 | EM-3591 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2017-03-16 | DR-4305 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2017-02-14 | DR-4301 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 1986-02-21 | DR-758 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-02-15 | DR-547 | Flood | Coastal Storms, Mudslides & Flooding |
| 1969-01-26 | DR-253 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Mono County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 24 flood or flash flood records for Mono County from 1997 to 2024, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mono County ranks 1694th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $385,000 on 46 claims filed in Mono County; the most in one year was 16 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 7 · 1991: 7 · 1997: 16 · 2000: 9 · 2005: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 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 Mono County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mono County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $16.7 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 | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | once in about 249 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $306K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $940K | 116 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $5.1M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $12K | once in about 1,250 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $10K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.9M | 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 Mono County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Mono CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mono County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis