Navajo County, Arizona
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 04017 · population 106,501 · 9,949 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,057 records for Navajo County, Arizona from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 611 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (339 records). 717 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 March 20, 2000 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County, which covers the county: 5 deaths. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1970, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on September 13, 2021.
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
- 1,057on 611 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1721 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $146Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 23strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2021
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 Navajo County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 339 since 1997. 50% of its high wind and dust records since 1997 fell in April and May. The rank column places the county among Arizona'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 339 | 155 | 1997-2026 | 2 | 17 | $368K | 4 of 15 |
| Winter storms | 315 | 158 | 1996-2026 | 12 | 0 | – | 3 of 15 |
| Floods | 143 | 121 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $197K | 12 of 15 |
| Hail | 58 | 57 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 15 |
| Heavy rain | 53 | 50 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 5 of 15 |
| Wildfires | 40 | 37 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $145M | 7 of 15 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 32 | 31 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 13 of 15 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 31 | 27 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 15 |
| Tornadoes | 23 | 21 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $40K | 6 of 15 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 6 | 2011-2022 | 0 | 0 | $144K | 8 of 15 |
| Heat | 8 | 6 | 2013-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 15 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 2004-2013 | 2 | 4 | $85K | 10 of 15 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 2010-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 15 |
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 Navajo County had?
NOAA records 23 tornadoes in Navajo County from 1960 to 2025, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 6th of 15 Arizona counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 23 tornadoes whose track touched Navajo County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 23, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arizona.
Every tornado record filed for Navajo County (23)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-15 | Indian Wells, Navajo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-26 | Clay Spgs, Navajo County | EF0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-07 | Holbrook, Navajo County | EF0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-09-13 | Joseph City, Navajo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-06-16 | Tees To, Navajo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-07-15 | Winslow, Navajo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-09-01 | Holbrook, Navajo County | EF0 1.19 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-24 | Snowflake, Navajo County | EF0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-10-18 | Kykotsmovi, Navajo County | F0 30 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2005-06-23 | Petrified Forest Nat, Navajo County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-29 | Jack Rabbit, Navajo County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-10-03 | White Cone, Navajo County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-08-15 | Heber, Navajo County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-17 | Winslow, Navajo County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-09-16 | Snowflake, Navajo County | F0 1 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-09-16 | Snowflake, Navajo County | F0 3 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-08-29 | Holbrook, Navajo County | F0 1 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-22 | Holbrook, Navajo County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-25 | Kayenta, Navajo County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-25 | Oraibi, Navajo County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-04-20 | Navajo County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-10-17 | Navajo County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1960-06-10 | Navajo County | 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 Navajo County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 22, 2023 flood (1 death).
Highway 377 between Heber and Holbrook was closed due to flooding at mile post 13 around 900 AM on March 22. Seymour's Crossing was flooded the night of March 22. A vehicle was swept downstream for about an hour. The occupants were able to reach the bank but, were separated. The woman's body was found the next day.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1097457)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-29 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Heavy SnowCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Eastern Mogollon Rim | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Heavy SnowCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Eastern Mogollon Rim | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Plateaus And Mesas South Of Highway 264 | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Eastern Mogollon Rim | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Eastern Mogollon Rim | 70 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-03-20 | Winter StormNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County A powerful winter storm blanketed northern Arizona with heavy snow. Some of the highest elevations reported around 2 feet of snow. There were a number of trafic accidents with some fatalities. A DPS officer and 3 residents of the Navajo Reservatioin were killed on US Highway 89 in Page and two children were injured. A ... | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-01-25 | Ice StormCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Eastern Mogollon Rim A low pressure center moving into Arizona and a cold easterly flow into the into the Little Colorado River Valley, White Mountains, and Eastern Mogollon Rim caused widespread freezing drizzle and freezing rain. Law enforcement officers and the general public reported 47 wrecks and roll overs between Winslow and the ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-01-03 | Heavy SnowApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains A powerful winter storm began to move across northern Arizona on January 3rd and lingered into early January 5th. Widespread snowfall was reported above 5000 feet with generally 4 to 12 inches of total snowfall from 5000 to 6000 feet...12 to 20 inches from 5000 to 7000 feet...and 20 to 45 inches above 7000 feet. Heavy ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-03-31 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 2 | 0 | $44K | |
| 1997-01-12 | Winter StormCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Northeast Plateaus And Mesas From Highway 264 North Perhaps the largest snow storm of the decade brought heavy snow to most of northern Arizona. Heavy snow fell from early Sunday morning, the 12th, through last Tuesday night, the 14th. Four deaths from exposure occurred during, or immediately after the storm, on the Navajo Nation Reservation and were directly related ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-09-20 | LightningClay Spgs, Navajo County Four motorcyclist stopped on the shoulder of a roadway because of the heavy rain. One of them hid in a near by culvert. While stopped, lightning hit the ground near the three cyclists knocking them on the ground. All three were air lifted to hospitals. The woman had badly burned feet. One man was very disoriented. The ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-03-22 | FloodZeniff, Navajo County Highway 377 between Heber and Holbrook was closed due to flooding at mile post 13 around 900 AM on March 22. Seymour's Crossing was flooded the night of March 22. A vehicle was swept downstream for about an hour. The occupants were able to reach the bank but, were separated. The woman's body was found the next day. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-07-19 | LightningShow Low, Navajo County A 54 year old man was walking along the south edge of Scott Reservoir with two other people when he was stuck and killed by lightning. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | WildfireApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone White Mountains | 0 | 0 | $76M | |
| 2018-04-28 | WildfireCoconino County and Navajo County · forecast zone Eastern Mogollon Rim | 0 | 0 | $59M | |
| 2019-07-21 | WildfireApache County and Navajo County · forecast zone Black Mesa Area | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 1999-03-31 | High WindNavajo County · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County | 2 | 0 | $44K | |
| 1999-03-31 | High WindApache County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Plateaus And Mesas South Of Highway 264 | 0 | 17 | $4K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: October 17, 1962 (tornado, Navajo 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 Navajo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 90 | 130 | 112 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 36 | 83 | 125 | 71 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 47 | 42 | 42 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 17 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 33 | 5 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 22 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its high wind and dust records since 1997 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 89 · Feb 138 · Mar 102 · Apr 130 · May 82 · Jun 54 · Jul 142 · Aug 84 · Sep 61 · Oct 43 · Nov 27 · Dec 105 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Navajo County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Navajo County: 12 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 5 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and fire (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-13 | DR-4620 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4524 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3442 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2010-03-18 | DR-1888 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-01-24 | EM-3307 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2006-09-07 | DR-1660 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-06-13 | FM-2642 | Fire | Potato Fire |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3241 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-17 | DR-1581 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-07-14 | FM-2478 | Fire | Kinishba Fire |
| 2002-06-25 | DR-1422 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002-06-21 | FM-2430 | Fire | Az - Chediski Farms Fire - 06/21/2002 |
| 2002-06-19 | FM-2429 | Fire | Rodeo Fire |
| 1999-06-12 | FM-2263 | Fire | Az - Rainbow Fire - 06/11/1999 |
| 1993-01-19 | DR-977 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1983-10-05 | DR-691 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-02-19 | DR-614 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-12-21 | DR-570 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-03-04 | DR-551 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-04-15 | EM-3038 | Drought | Drought |
| 1970-09-22 | DR-294 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flash |
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 Navajo County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 143 flood or flash flood records for Navajo County from 1996 to 2025, on 121 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Navajo County ranks 1282nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $971,000 on 106 claims filed in Navajo County; the most in one year was 37 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 37 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 18 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 6 · 2007: 5 · 2008: 3 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 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 Navajo County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Navajo County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $40.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | $3.4M | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $522K | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $12M | once in about 225 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $57K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $20M | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | once in about 58 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $86K | once in about 67 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 572 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Navajo 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 ArizonaEvery Arizona tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in ArizonaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Arizona recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Navajo CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Navajo County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis