Nye County, Nevada
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 32023 · population 51,166 · 18,182 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,073 records for Nye County, Nevada from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 664 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (580 records). 827 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 1, 2006 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Esmeralda/Central Nye, which covers the county: 1 death and 6 injuries. FEMA has issued 5 declarations naming the county since 2005, 3 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 13, 2005.
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
- 1,073on 664 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 921 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF0
- 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 Nye County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 580 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Nevada'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 | 580 | 332 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 9 | $2.7M | 12 of 17 |
| Winter storms | 174 | 144 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 7 | $871K | 14 of 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 147 | 108 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $323K | 9 of 17 |
| Floods | 74 | 54 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 1 | $7.3M | 12 of 17 |
| Heat | 58 | 51 | 2019-2025 | 5 | 0 | – | 5 of 17 |
| Lightning | 9 | 7 | 2000-2025 | 1 | 1 | $108K | 6 of 17 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 8 | 2014-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 17 |
| Hail | 8 | 8 | 1988-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 17 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 5 | 5 | 2010-2024 | 1 | 1 | $51K | 10 of 17 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1987-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 17 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2013-2018 | 1 | 0 | $158K | 14 of 17 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2013-2014 | 0 | 2 | $1.4M | 14 of 17 |
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 Nye County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Nye County from 1987 to 2019, the strongest rated EF0, 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Nye County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nevada.
Every tornado record filed for Nye County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-22 | Pahrump, Nye County | EF0 0.16 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-09-20 | Belmont, Nye County | EF0 0.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-06 | Nye County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-07-07 | Nye County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-16 | Nye County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Nye County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 9, 2025 lightning ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | High WindClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Western Clark/Southern Nye | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | High WindEsmeralda County and Nye County · forecast zone Esmeralda/Central Nye | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | High WindClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | High WindClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Western Clark/Southern Nye | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | High WindEsmeralda County and Nye County · forecast zone Esmeralda/Central Nye | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindYucca Flats, Nye County | 67 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindMercury, Nye County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindEsmeralda County and Nye County · forecast zone Esmeralda/Central Nye | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | Dust StormNye County · forecast zone Northeastern Nye | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindNye County · forecast zone Northwestern Nye | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindNye County · forecast zone Northeastern Nye | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindNye County · forecast zone Northwestern Nye | 66 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-01-01 | Winter StormEsmeralda County and Nye County · forecast zone Esmeralda/Central Nye Dyer received 8 inches of snow. During the early morning hours of January 3rd, icy roads contributed to three separate car crashes on Highways 95 and 6 in Esmeralda County, resulting in one fatality (indirect) and six injuries. | 1 | 6 | – | |
| 2006-07-08 | LightningTonopah, Nye County A 16 year old boy was struck and killed by lightning when he and his dad got out of their pickup truck to check the tires. His father was thrown to the ground when the lightning struck. The father was taken to the hospital for treatment and released. The boy's mother and sister stayed in the truck and were unharmed. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-06-27 | HeatClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Western Clark/Southern Nye One person died in Pahrump of heat-related causes. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-26 | HeatClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains One person died of heat-related causes in a rest area along Highway 160. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-04 | HeatClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Western Clark/Southern Nye One person died in Pahrump of heat-related causes. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-01-09 | AvalancheClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains A group of hikers near 11,000 feet were hit by an avalanche, which killed one member of the group. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-07-13 | HeatClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains One person died in the Spring Mountains of heat-related causes. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-06-14 | HeatClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains One person died in the Spring Mountains of heat related causes. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-03 | Flash FloodPahrump, Nye County | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | |
| 2013-07-01 | WildfireClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2010-12-22 | Flash FloodPahrump, Nye County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1998-02-03 | High WindNye County · forecast zone Northern Nye | 0 | 0 | $724K | |
| 2010-12-19 | Heavy SnowClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Spring Mountains | 0 | 0 | $677K | |
| 2023-08-21 | FloodCarvers, Nye County | 0 | 0 | $484K | |
| 2003-07-19 | Flash FloodPahrump, Nye County | 0 | 0 | $401K | |
| 2011-12-01 | High WindClark County and Nye County · forecast zone Western Clark/Southern Nye | 82 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $131K |
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 Nye 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 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 105 | 192 | 274 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 24 | 52 | 59 | 39 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 39 | 86 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 7 | 39 | 20 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 7 | 51 z |
Heat in the 2020-26: 51 records against 7 in the decade before, 51 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 Nye 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 Nye County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 78 · Feb 106 · Mar 131 · Apr 131 · May 79 · Jun 92 · Jul 110 · Aug 73 · Sep 61 · Oct 62 · Nov 62 · Dec 88 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Nye County
FEMA's register lists 5 declarations that include Nye County: one major disaster, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and snowstorm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4523 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3443 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3243 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-23 | EM-3204 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3202 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
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 Nye County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 74 flood or flash flood records for Nye County from 1997 to 2025, on 54 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Nye County ranks 1149th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.3 million on 136 claims filed in Nye County; the most in one year was 38 in 2021. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1997: 12 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 5 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 3 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 38 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 7; 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 Nye County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Nye County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $5.9M | 4.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $548K | 26 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $3.8M | once in about 25 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $13M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $79K | 9.5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $275K | once in about 1,512 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $76K | 128 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Nye 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 NevadaEvery Nevada tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in NevadaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Nevada recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Nye CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Nye County's FEMA declarations (CSV)5 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis