Polk County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41053 · population 87,390 · 741 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 357 records for Polk County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 282 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (145 records). 303 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 June 26, 2021 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Central Willamette Valley, which covers the county: 18 deaths. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1964, 13 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
- 357on 282 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 5010 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $805Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Polk County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 145 since 1996. 44% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Oregon'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 | 145 | 127 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.7M | 11 of 36 |
| Winter storms | 108 | 79 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 1 | $27M | 11 of 36 |
| Floods | 40 | 38 | 1996-2025 | 11 | 5 | $769M | 6 of 36 |
| Heat | 20 | 18 | 1998-2022 | 32 | 1 | – | 3 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 12 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 9 | 6 | 1996-2012 | 1 | 0 | $78K | 9 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 2003-2023 | 3 | 3 | – | 7 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 2 | 1997-2003 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 12 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2020-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 36 |
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 Polk County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Polk County from 1997 to 2003, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 12th of 36 Oregon 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 Polk 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 Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Polk County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-06-21 | Independence, Polk County | F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-09-15 | Mc Coy, Polk County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1997-09-15 | Rickreall, Polk County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 Polk County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 16, 2024 ice storm (1 death).
Around one-half inch of ice accumulated in the Salem area on the 16th with up to 1 inch reported by the Public. This resulted in power outages, travel disruptions, injuries due to slip and fall. Also the persistent freezing temperatures over several days resulted in a suspected hypothermia fatality.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1164389)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-05 | High WindLane County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Oregon Coast Range | 73 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-25 | High WindLane County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Oregon Coast Range | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-24 | FloodMitchell, Polk County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindLane County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Oregon Coast Range | 72 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-13 | Ice StormYamhill County and Polk County · forecast zone West Central Willamette Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Ice StormLane County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Oregon Coast Range Lowlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Ice StormLane County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Oregon Coast Range | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-01-16 | Ice StormClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-12-16 | Dense FogClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2022-12-27 | High WindClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2022-07-28 | Excessive HeatClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-08-11 | Excessive HeatClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-26 | Excessive HeatClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley Temperatures across the area warmed into the 100s to mid 110s over a three day period. Record breaking temperatures up to 117 degrees were recorded in Salem, OR. A total of 18 heat related deaths were reported, including two middle aged men who drowned in the Willamette River on Saturday, June 26. | 18 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-02-06 | FloodBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Coast Range Of W Oregon Runoff from heavy rains and melting mountain snow caused major floods upon many northern Oregon rivers. The first rivers reached flood stage on the morning of February 6th while the heaviest rain was still falling. flooding was measured on twenty one rivers in northwestern Oregon. Six rivers set all time high river ... | 7 | 0 | $753M | |
| 1996-11-17 | FloodClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Douglas T Nw & E A moist southwest flow aloft produced moderate to heavy rain and strong winds over southwest Oregon between Nov 17 and Nov 21. Storm total rainfall ranged from 8 to 12 inches on the coast with local amounts near 20 inches...3 to 7 inches of rainfall fell inland. Flooding was extensive in Coos, Curry and Douglas ... | 4 | 5 | $9.4M | |
| 2022-07-28 | Excessive HeatClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley Four suspected heat related deaths occurred in Marion county. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-12-16 | Dense FogClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley Dense Fog in the Central Willamette Valley contributed to deadly aircraft accident. A single engine airplane travelling from McMinnville to Independence crashed around 4:55 PM into a power pole just outside of the Independence Airport. The crash resulted in a local power outage, a small brushfire and the loss of all ... | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2016-06-02 | Excessive HeatClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley Temperatures of 95 to 100 in early June lead to people seeking relief at local rivers. Two river drownings were reported in the Central Willamette Valley during this hot spell. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-06-26 | Excessive HeatClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley Afternoon temperatures were in the low to mid 90s which is around 20 degrees above normal. Nighttime temperatures were in the mid 60s to low 70s which is around 15 degrees above normal. There were several new daily records set for the warmest low temperatures. A man drowned while swimming in the Santiam River on June ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-01-16 | Ice StormClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley Around one-half inch of ice accumulated in the Salem area on the 16th with up to 1 inch reported by the Public. This resulted in power outages, travel disruptions, injuries due to slip and fall. Also the persistent freezing temperatures over several days resulted in a suspected hypothermia fatality. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-02-06 | FloodBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Coast Range Of W Oregon | 7 | 0 | $753M | |
| 2008-12-20 | Winter StormClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2021-02-11 | Ice StormClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 1996-11-17 | FloodClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Douglas T Nw & E | 4 | 5 | $9.4M | |
| 2016-10-13 | Strong WindClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Willamette Valley | 42 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6.1M |
| 2012-01-18 | FloodBuena Vista, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 1998-01-12 | Ice StormBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Columbia/C & W Multnomah/Washington/Nw Clackamas | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2007-12-04 | FloodSuver, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
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 Polk 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 | – | – | – | – | 12 | 38 | 75 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 24 | 44 | 21 | 19 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 7 | 11 | 9 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 0 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 79 · Feb 56 · Mar 30 · Apr 14 · May 5 · Jun 9 · Jul 9 · Aug 9 · Sep 11 · Oct 12 · Nov 35 · Dec 88 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Polk County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Polk County: 13 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4907 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-05-04 | DR-4599 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-02-17 | DR-4258 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-03-02 | DR-4055 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2009-03-02 | DR-1824 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record and Near Record Snow |
| 2007-12-08 | DR-1733 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2007-02-22 | DR-1683 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2006-03-20 | DR-1632 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1099 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-413 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-184 | 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 Polk County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 40 flood or flash flood records for Polk County from 1996 to 2025, on 38 days, with 11 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Polk County ranks 1428th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $852,000 on 78 claims filed in Polk County; the most in one year was 23 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 2 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 17 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 23 · 2008: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 8 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2025: 2; 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 Polk County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Polk County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $37.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $19M | once in about 51 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.0M | 6.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $196K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $31K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $15M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $44K | 7.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $153K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $2K | once in about 99 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Polk 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 OregonEvery Oregon tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in OregonThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Oregon recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Polk CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Polk County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis