Park County, Wyoming
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 56029 · population 29,572 · 6,939 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 987 records for Park County, Wyoming from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 682 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (366 records). 783 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 day on its record was October 10, 2008: winter storm records filed for Park County that day count 3 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 4 declarations naming the county since 1978, 2 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on August 5, 2017.
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
- 987on 682 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 921 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $36Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 4latest 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 Park County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 366 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Wyoming'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 | 366 | 281 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 5 | $1.0M | 9 of 23 |
| Winter storms | 326 | 213 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 4 | $1.8M | 19 of 23 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 77 | 59 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $238K | 22 of 23 |
| Hail | 67 | 57 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 17 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 41 | 17 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | – | 19 of 23 |
| Wildfires | 41 | 34 | 2001-2025 | 1 | 2 | $2.8M | 4 of 23 |
| Floods | 27 | 23 | 1997-2022 | 0 | 0 | $27M | 16 of 23 |
| Heat | 11 | 6 | 2021-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1964-2017 | 0 | 0 | $432K | 22 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 7 | 5 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 23 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 6 | 2004-2017 | 2 | 1 | $430K | 9 of 23 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 2000-2019 | 1 | 9 | $97K | 4 of 23 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 23 |
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 Park County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Park County from 1964 to 2017, the strongest rated F2, 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Park County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wyoming.
Every tornado record filed for Park County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-06-12 | Yellowstone Apt, Park County | EF0 0.69 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-16 | Yellowstone Apt, Park County | EF0 1.37 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-05-27 | Meeteetse, Park County | EF0 6.27 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-01 | Powell, Park County | F0 3.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-18 | Park County | F1 0.2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-08-25 | Park County | F1 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-06-20 | Park County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1978-07-11 | Park County | F2 0.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-06-26 | Park County | F1 2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-06-26 | Park County | F2 1 mi x 50 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 Park County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2022 flood ($25.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Part of the northeastern entrance road to Yellowstone National Park was washed out near the Soda Butte Picnic Area. There were also mudslides and downed trees in the area. Yellowstone National Park press releases estimated preliminary repair costs to be 25 million for the northeast entrance road.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1036538)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindWapiti, Park County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-25 | HailCody, Park County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | HailCody, Park County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | High WindPark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | High WindPark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindWapiti, Park County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindMeeteetse, Park County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-22 | High WindBig Horn County and Park County · forecast zone North Big Horn Basin | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindWapiti, Park County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter StormFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Yellowstone National Park | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-17 | HeatFremont County and 3 more · forecast zone Yellowstone National Park | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-17 | HeatBig Horn County and Park County · forecast zone North Big Horn Basin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-10-10 | Winter StormBig Horn County and Park County · forecast zone North Big Horn Basin A large low pressure system tracked from the southern Great Basin across Wyoming bringing heavy snowfall to western and central Wyoming. The slow moving storm pumped abundant moisture north into the state ahead of the main area of low pressure producing heavy snow. Snowfall of 6 to 12 inches occurred at most lower ... | 2 | 3 | – | |
| 2008-10-10 | Winter StormPark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills A large low pressure system tracked from the southern Great Basin across Wyoming bringing heavy snowfall to western and central Wyoming. The slow moving storm pumped abundant moisture north into the state ahead of the main area of low pressure producing heavy snow. Snowfall of 6 to 12 inches occurred at most lower ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1999-11-24 | High WindBig Horn County and Park County · forecast zone Cody Foothills / Part Of E Park Strong gusty crosswinds caused a two-vehicle accident between Cody and Meeteetse on WY Highway 120 on the evening of the 24th. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-11-15 | WildfirePark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills Very strong wind downed a power line into a tree igniting a wildfire around 2215MST Monday, November 15, in the Line Creek area north of Clark. The starting point appeared to be in the 800 block of County Road 1AB. The wildfire rapidly spread through the Line Creek drainage, mainly the north side of the creek, as well ... | 1 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2016-12-17 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillPark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills An elderly man froze to death in his home, about 12 miles southwest of Cody, Wyoming. Temperatures outside were around -10 degrees on the morning of the 17th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-12-31 | AvalanchePark County and Teton County · forecast zone Yellowstone National Park A backcountry skier was killed by an avalanche that buried him under 10 to 12 feet of snow in a narrow canyon near the Montana border around 1420MST. The slide ran 250 feet downhill had was comprised of two paths that totaled about 800 feet in width. The skier was caught within a 50-foot-wide path. Rescue crews from ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-06-20 | LightningPitchfork, Park County A developing thunderstorm produced a single bolt of lightning that killed a 70-year-old man during a camping and fishing trip to Upper Sunshine Reservoir southwest of Meeteetse. The man and his son went to shore to avoid the developing storm. The man was struck when he attempted to gain better cell phone reception ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-01-02 | AvalancheFremont County and 2 more · forecast zone Absaroka Mountains An ice climber was killed when an avalanche one-quarter mile across swept 2,000 feet down a mountainside and spilled over the edge of a steep slope he was climbing. His climbing partner was uninjured. The two climbers experienced two smaller avalanches prior to the fatal slide during their more than 1,000 foot ascent. ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-06-12 | FloodMt Washburn, Park County | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2021-11-15 | WildfirePark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills | 1 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 1998-10-15 | Winter StormPark County and Teton County · forecast zone Yellowstone National Park Mt Id / W Park / N Teton | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2013-07-30 | HailRalston, Park County | 0.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2000-06-09 | HailPowell, Park County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $857K |
| 2001-07-10 | Flash FloodClark, Park County | 0 | 0 | $667K | |
| 2016-08-02 | WildfirePark County · forecast zone Cody Foothills | 0 | 0 | $615K | |
| 2002-07-16 | Flash FloodSouth Portion, Park County | 0 | 0 | $451K |
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: June 26, 1964 (tornado, Park County); July 11, 1978 (tornado, Park County); August 25, 1986 (tornado, Park 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 Park 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 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 53 | 201 z | 101 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 55 | 70 | 129 | 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 18 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 22 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 9 | 2 | 13 | 17 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 17 | 19 | 5 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 201 records against 53 in the decade before, 201 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 Park 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 Park County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 140 · Feb 149 · Mar 92 · Apr 48 · May 48 · Jun 89 · Jul 52 · Aug 52 · Sep 34 · Oct 61 · Nov 94 · Dec 128 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Park County
FEMA's register lists 4 declarations that include Park County: 3 major disasters, one emergency and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-11 | DR-4535 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3479 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-05 | DR-4327 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1978-05-29 | DR-557 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides |
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 Park County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Park County from 1997 to 2022, on 23 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Park County ranks 2105th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $349,000 on 19 claims filed in Park County; the most in one year was 6 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 6 · 2003: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 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 Park County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Park County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.8 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 | $1.2M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $934K | 38 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $333K | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $106K | 23 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $555K | once in about 1,043 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 18 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $9.3M | 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 Park 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 WyomingEvery Wyoming tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in WyomingThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Wyoming recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Park CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Park County's FEMA declarations (CSV)4 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis