Pacific County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53049 · population 23,335 · 933 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 430 records for Pacific County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 320 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (299 records). 402 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 February 2, 2018 rip current, filed for the forecast zone South Coast, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1964, 24 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
- 430on 320 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 102 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $53Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Pacific County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 299 since 1996. 48% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in November and December. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 299 | 233 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 0 | $23M | 4 of 39 |
| Winter storms | 44 | 35 | 2001-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 35 of 39 |
| Floods | 40 | 31 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $24M | 3 of 39 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 17 | 17 | 2003-2022 | 6 | 2 | $5.7M | 2 of 39 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 5 | 2 | 1997-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 39 |
| Heat | 3 | 2 | 2006-2021 | 1 | 0 | – | 26 of 39 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 2010-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 39 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1990-2021 | 0 | 0 | $56K | 10 of 39 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2001-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 39 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 39 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 39 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 18 of 39 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 27 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 Pacific County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Pacific County from 1990 to 2021, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 10th of 39 Washington 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Pacific County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Washington.
Every tornado record filed for Pacific County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | Ilwaco Airport, Pacific County | EF0 0.3 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-13 | Pacific County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-12-01 | Pacific County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 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 Pacific County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 6, 2025 coastal flood ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | Funnel CloudKlipsan Beach, Pacific County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-06 | Coastal FloodPacific County · forecast zone South Washington Coast | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2025-11-05 | High WindPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-25 | High WindPacific County · forecast zone South Washington Coast | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindPacific County · forecast zone South Washington Coast | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowPacific County · forecast zone South Washington Coast | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-01 | Heavy SnowPacific County and 2 more · forecast zone Willapa Hills | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-01-06 | FloodLebam, Pacific County | 0 | 0 | $998K | |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-05-31 | Rip CurrentPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-02 | Rip CurrentPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast No one is quite sure what happened, but two people clamming in different locations on Washington Coast beaches in Pacific County were swept away by the surf within minutes of each other. One was clamming at Oysterville beach, the other was clamming near Warrenton Cannery Road in the community of North Cove. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-05-22 | Rip CurrentPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast A young girl was playing on the beach and ended up in deep water. No one witnessed how the girl was swept into the ocean, but it is most likely due to a rip current. She was found 500 feet from the shore and was in the water for around 30 minutes. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2014-07-03 | Rip CurrentPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast Two siblings playing in the shore near Boldtad Beach was caught in a rip that dragged them out to sea. The older sibling, a 11 year old girl pushed her younger brother towards the shore before she drifted further out to sea and drowned. The younger boy was rescued after being in the water for 30 minutes. He was found ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast A reliable SkyWarn spotter (Pacific-34) called to report his temperature sensor was recording 105 degrees. A middle-aged man drowned on Sunday, June 27. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-05-31 | Rip CurrentPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast A 14 year old male was reportedly swept offshore while swimming near Long Beach, Washington. The Coast Guard Sector Columbia River and partner agencies performed search operations. After searching nearly 52 square miles, the search was suspended at 2126PST Monday. Weather was fairly benign with general seas between 3 ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-12-02 | High WindPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast Wind gust recorded at Cape Disappointment. Other impressive wind reports from this event include: gusts to 85 kt on Klipsan Beach, located south of Ocean Park on the Long Beach Peninsula; gusts to 65 kt at Toke Point, near Tokeland on the Willapa Bay; gusts to 63 in Bay Center; gusts to 58 kt in Oysterville, on the ... | 90 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $14M |
| 2007-12-02 | High WindCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior Wind gust recorded at the Abernathy RAWS. NOTE: Damage estimates are for the entire Southwest Interior of Washington, and the majority of the damage occurred in the Wallapa Hills of Wahkiakum county. Other winds were also recorded at the Abernathy RAWS site. A woman, unknown age from Seaview, WA died when her house ... | 68 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $199K |
| 2007-07-27 | Rip CurrentPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast A boogie boarder recreating in the the surf zone near Long Beach, WA drown after he was pulled out to sea by a rip tide. The Coast Guard and local Search and Rescue folks were called after the boy was reported missing, but was unable to locate him. The body was discovered the next morning near the Bolstad Approach, ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-02 | High WindPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast | 90 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $14M |
| 2007-12-03 | FloodWillapa, Pacific County | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2015-12-08 | High WindCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.5M |
| 2007-12-03 | Coastal FloodPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast | 0 | 0 | $7.1M | |
| 2020-11-15 | High SurfPacific County and Wahkiakum County · forecast zone South Coast | 0 | 0 | $5.7M | |
| 2022-01-06 | FloodLebam, Pacific County | 0 | 0 | $998K | |
| 2008-12-20 | Winter StormCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Interior | 0 | 0 | $947K | |
| 1998-12-27 | FloodCowlitz County and 2 more · forecast zone E Pacific/W Lewis/Wahkiakum | 0 | 0 | $905K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: December 1, 1990 (tornado, Pacific 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 Pacific 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 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 66 | 169 | 42 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 9 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 9 | 6 | 14 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in November and December. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 85 · Feb 53 · Mar 47 · Apr 9 · May 4 · Jun 5 · Jul 5 · Aug 1 · Sep 9 · Oct 23 · Nov 80 · Dec 109 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pacific County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Pacific County: 25 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (11) and severe storm (10).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4906 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2006-12-12 | DR-1671 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, 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 |
| 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 |
| 1994-08-02 | DR-1037 | Fishing Losses | The El Nino (the Salmon Industry) |
| 1990-11-26 | DR-883 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1986-12-15 | DR-784 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1977-12-10 | DR-545 | Flood | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding |
| 1972-02-01 | DR-322 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Pacific County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 40 flood or flash flood records for Pacific County from 1996 to 2025, on 31 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pacific County ranks 895th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.1 million on 216 claims filed in Pacific County; the most in one year was 18 in 1981. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1981: 18 · 1982: 18 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 4 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 6 · 1994: 9 · 1995: 16 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 4 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 8 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 2 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 16 · 2007: 16 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 17 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 17 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 14 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 8; 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 Pacific County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pacific County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $106 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsunami | Very High | $84M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $12M | once in about 70 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 6.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $24K | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $244K | 2.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $10K | once in about 36,759 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $12K | 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 Pacific 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
- High wind and dust storms in WashingtonThe state's high wind and dust 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 Pacific CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pacific County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis