Pershing County, Nevada
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 32027 · population 6,601 · 6,037 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 259 records for Pershing County, Nevada from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 218 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (153 records). 217 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 7, 2002 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $246,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 4 declarations naming the county since 2005, 2 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
- 259on 218 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 632 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.8Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- 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 Pershing County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 153 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 | 153 | 125 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 32 | $3.0M | 11 of 17 |
| Winter storms | 43 | 39 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $290K | 16 of 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 32 | 30 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $167K | 12 of 17 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 10 | 1997-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 17 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 5 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | $97K | 9 of 17 |
| Floods | 5 | 5 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 0 | $261K | 17 of 17 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2016-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 17 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2006-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 17 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 17 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 1979-1979 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Pershing County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 12, 2018 strong wind (1 death).
A wave of rain showers passed through Pyramid Lake and brought northerly winds sustained to around 30 mph with gusts to 34 mph. A boater drowned at approximately 1030PST on 12 May when winds were determined to have peaked based on local observations near Sutcliffe along the shore of Pyramid Lake.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 763337)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindToulon, Pershing County | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 49 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-07 | Winter WeatherChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-02 | Thunderstorm WindToulon, Pershing County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindToulon, Pershing County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-30 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-30 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindArgo Siding, Pershing County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindToulon, Pershing County | 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-03-07 | Winter StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon NHP reported a multi vehicle accident resulting in two deaths. Between 4:30 and 5:00 pm, a snowstorm hit the Fernley area reducing visibility to 1/4 mile. One semi lost control and spun out on I-80 about 6 miles east of Fernley, blocking the lanes and causing other vehicles to stop. Two sedans, a pickup, and another ... | 2 | 0 | $246K | |
| 2009-11-20 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range The Nevada Highway Patrol reported that, at 1218PST, near zero visibility caused a large accident on westbound Interstate 80 about 20 miles east of Fernley. The accident involved 4 tractor trailer rigs, 3 pickups, and an SUV and caused one fatality along with 7 injuries. Elsewhere, there were numerous trees and power ... | 1 | 7 | $69K | |
| 2002-11-07 | High WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range Strong wind gusts estimated at 70 mph caused near zero visibility from blowing dust on U.S Highway 95 Alternate just south of Silver Springs in Lyon County. An 11 vehicle pile-up, including one semi-trailer rig , resulted from the reduced visibility. One person was killed in the accident and five others were injured. | 61 kt wind | 1 | 6 | $410K |
| 2018-05-12 | Strong WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range A wave of rain showers passed through Pyramid Lake and brought northerly winds sustained to around 30 mph with gusts to 34 mph. A boater drowned at approximately 1030PST on 12 May when winds were determined to have peaked based on local observations near Sutcliffe along the shore of Pyramid Lake. | 30 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2006-12-21 | Ice StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range Icy conditions along Interstate 80 in Churchill County contributed to numerous traffic accidents. A woman was killed in an accident when her automobile hit a slick section of I-80. Her car went off the road and overturned approximately 17 miles east of Fernley just inside the Churchill County line. | 1 | 0 | $7K | |
| 2000-08-03 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon Spotter report of dust storm that reduced visibility to 1/4 mile. This storm caused a 16 car pileup that injured 15 people with an estimated damage amount of $80,000. | 0 | 15 | $137K | |
| 2002-05-19 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon Winds gusting to 50 mph caused blowing dust in the Silver Springs and Stagecoach areas of Lyon County for about 4 hours Sunday afternoon and evening. Near zero visibility resulted in a 9 car pile-up on U.S. Highway 95A and a 3 vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 50. The highways were closed for 4 hours. Blowing sand also ... | 0 | 4 | $164K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-12-25 | Strong WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 49 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 2002-01-21 | High WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $410K |
| 2002-11-07 | High WindChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 61 kt wind | 1 | 6 | $410K |
| 2002-03-07 | Winter StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon | 2 | 0 | $246K | |
| 2002-05-19 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon | 0 | 4 | $164K | |
| 2000-08-03 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Pershing/Churchill/X Se Washoe/Nc&Ne Lyon | 0 | 15 | $137K | |
| 2009-11-20 | Dust StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 1 | 7 | $69K | |
| 2006-12-21 | Ice StormChurchill County and 3 more · forecast zone Western Nevada Basin And Range | 1 | 0 | $7K |
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 Pershing 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 | – | – | – | – | 21 | 53 | 25 | 54 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 16 | 10 | 12 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
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 Pershing County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 23 · Mar 32 · Apr 21 · May 22 · Jun 16 · Jul 23 · Aug 16 · Sep 9 · Oct 4 · Nov 17 · Dec 33 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pershing County
FEMA's register lists 4 declarations that include Pershing County: one major disaster, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and hurricane (1).
| 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 |
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 Pershing County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 5 flood or flash flood records for Pershing County from 1996 to 2018, on 5 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pershing County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $19,000 on 4 claims filed in Pershing County; the most in one year was 4 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 4; 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 Pershing County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pershing County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $522K | 163 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $630K | once in about 170 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $16K | 7.3 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $247K | once in about 41 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $308 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $105K | 4.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $2 | once in about 909 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pershing County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Pershing CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pershing County's FEMA declarations (CSV)4 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis