Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska
Census Area storm and disaster record · FIPS 02198 · population 5,714 · 5,268 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 616 records for Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 394 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (437 records). 615 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 most damaging was the December 21, 2003 high wind ($802,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 3 declarations naming the county since 2020, 1 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Flooding, and Landslides” on April 6, 2024.
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
- 616on 394 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 04 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 3latest 2024
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 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 437 since 1997. The rank column places the county among Alaska'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 | 437 | 266 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.8M | 10 of 29 |
| Winter storms | 165 | 122 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 3 | $206K | 10 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 6 | 2003-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 29 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 29 |
| Floods | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 29 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 29 |
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 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 11, 2021 high wind (1 injury).
Hydaburg Seaplane Base reported wind gusts of at least 62 mph starting at 11:08 pm. In nearby Craig, there was wind damage to the roof of a private residence, along with injury to a person who was trying to repair the damage during the storm.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 989922)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | Heavy SnowPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone City Of Hyder | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Prince Of Wales Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | Heavy SnowPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Prince Of Wales Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Annette Island | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-13 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Prince Of Wales Island | 67 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-13 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Annette Island | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-11 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Annette Island | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Prince Of Wales Island | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Annette Island | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-08 | Winter StormPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone City Of Hyder | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-05 | Winter StormPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Western Kupreanof Island And Kuiu Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-05 | Heavy SnowPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone City Of Hyder | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-01-18 | Ice StormPetersburg Borough and 2 more · forecast zone Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island To Etolin Island The most significant ice storm in Southeast Alaska in modern times occurred during a major overrunning event. Up to an inch of ice accumulated on surfaces in the Petersburg area Tuesday into Wednesday. Alaska Airline flights into Petersburg were cancelled and several minor traffic accidents occurred. Power lines ... | 0 | 3 | $91K | |
| 2021-10-11 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Dixon Entrance To Cape Decision Coastal Area Hydaburg Seaplane Base reported wind gusts of at least 62 mph starting at 11:08 pm. In nearby Craig, there was wind damage to the roof of a private residence, along with injury to a person who was trying to repair the damage during the storm. | 54 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-12-21 | High WindKetchikan Gateway Borough and 2 more · forecast zone Southern Inner Channels | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 2014-11-05 | High WindKetchikan Gateway Borough and 2 more · forecast zone Southern Inner Channels | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $374K |
| 2003-01-05 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Southern Southeast Alaska Ernest Sound To Dixon Entrance | 81 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2014-10-02 | High WindPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · forecast zone Dixon Entrance To Cape Decision Coastal Area | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2015-04-28 | High WindKetchikan Gateway Borough and 2 more · forecast zone Southern Inner Channels | 90 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $311K |
| 2005-01-18 | Ice StormPetersburg Borough and 2 more · forecast zone Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island To Etolin Island | 0 | 3 | $91K |
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 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area'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 | – | – | – | – | 47 | 175 | 136 | 79 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 66 | 33 | 58 |
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 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 128 · Feb 84 · Mar 54 · Apr 27 · May 1 · Jun 0 · Jul 1 · Aug 8 · Sep 27 · Oct 85 · Nov 88 · Dec 113 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
FEMA's register lists 3 declarations that include Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area: 2 major disasters, one emergency and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and mud/landslide (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-06 | DR-4767 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storm, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4533 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3446 | Biological | Covid-19 |
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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $839,000. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $64K | 10 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $11K | once in about 2,000 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $23K | 6.9 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $119K | once in about 40 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $163 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Tsunami | Very Low | $234K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $8K | once in about 67 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $2K | once in about 101,652 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
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 AlaskaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Alaska recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census AreaThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area's FEMA declarations (CSV)3 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis