San Bernardino County, California

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06071 · population 2,179,979 · 20,068 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 3,395 records for San Bernardino County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,507 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (999 records). 1,753 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 December 25, 2003: debris flow and flash flood records filed for San Bernardino County that day count 16 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 61 declarations naming the county since 1965, 59 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Bridge Fire” on September 11, 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
3,395on 1,507 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
115613 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$2.8Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
33strongest F2
FEMA declarations
61latest 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 San Bernardino County most?

The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 999 since 1996. 51% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in July and August. The rank column places the county among California's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.

San Bernardino County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Floods 999 399 1996-2026 22 59 $470M 37 of 57
High wind and dust storms 838 495 1996-2026 17 78 $72M 45 of 57
Heat 361 142 1997-2025 34 17 $599K 40 of 57
Wildfires 236 205 1997-2025 13 235 $2.0B 36 of 57
Winter storms 232 170 1996-2026 4 9 $5.7M 39 of 57
Severe thunderstorm wind 197 168 1957-2026 3 10 $7.0M 12 of 57
Heavy rain 124 79 1998-2026 2 10 $171M 46 of 57
Drought 78 26 2007-2009 0 0 $3K 33 of 57
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 74 66 1997-2024 2 165 $3.8M 42 of 57
Hail 67 56 1966-2025 0 0 $474K 43 of 57
Landslides and avalanches 65 52 2003-2025 15 12 $35M 34 of 57
Lightning 63 58 1996-2024 3 15 $2.2M 14 of 57
Tornadoes 33 28 1954-2019 0 3 $1.3M 38 of 57
Extreme cold 23 17 2002-2022 0 0 $42M 50 of 57
Hurricanes and tropical storms 3 1 2023-2023 0 0 – 14 of 57
Rip currents and high surf 2 2 2018-2021 0 0 – 38 of 57

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 San Bernardino County had?

NOAA records 33 tornadoes in San Bernardino County from 1954 to 2019, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 3 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 33 tornadoes whose track touched San Bernardino County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 33, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in California.

Every tornado record filed for San Bernardino County (33)
Every tornado recorded in San Bernardino County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2019-04-16 Spangler, San Bernardino County EF0 0.45 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $1K
2017-05-07 Adelanto, San Bernardino County EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2015-07-19 Landers, San Bernardino County EF0 0.24 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2013-08-18 Helendale, San Bernardino County EF0 1.02 mi x 3 yd 0 0 –
2008-08-04 Lcrne Vly Soggy Dry, San Bernardino County EF1 1.08 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $14K
2005-03-04 Fontana, San Bernardino County F0 0.5 mi x 15 yd 0 0 $30K
2004-08-14 Yucca Vly, San Bernardino County F0 1 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2004-08-14 Phelan, San Bernardino County F0 1 mi x 800 yd 0 0 –
2001-07-07 Joshua Tree, San Bernardino County F0 1 mi x 1 yd 0 0 $17K
2001-04-21 Needles Airport, San Bernardino County F1 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
1998-08-25 Nipton, San Bernardino County F0 1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1997-08-07 Needles, San Bernardino County F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
1997-06-06 Hesperia, San Bernardino County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1997-05-18 Apple Vly Airport, San Bernardino County F1 9 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
1997-05-18 Apple Vly Airport, San Bernardino County F1 3.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
1997-05-11 Apple Vly, San Bernardino County F1 0.2 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
1991-03-20 San Bernardino County F0 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
1990-09-29 San Bernardino County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1990-08-14 San Bernardino County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1987-07-27 San Bernardino County F0 1.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
1986-07-21 San Bernardino County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1983-08-01 San Bernardino County F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd 0 1 $250K step
1982-09-07 San Bernardino County F2 0.5 mi x 20 yd 0 2 $25K step
1976-09-06 San Bernardino County 0 0 –
1976-09-06 San Bernardino County 0 0 –
1976-09-06 San Bernardino County 0 0 –
1976-09-06 San Bernardino County 0 0 –
1976-09-05 San Bernardino County 0 0 –
1976-09-04 San Bernardino County 0 0 $25K step
1974-10-22 San Bernardino County F1 0 0 $3K step
1966-07-22 San Bernardino County 0 0 –
1965-11-25 San Bernardino County F1 2 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1954-06-25 San Bernardino County F2 0 0 $250 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 San Bernardino County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 24, 2025 flood ($3.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).

Several hours of rain rates over 1/hr resulted in severe flash flooding and debris flow in Wrightwood. Numerous vehicles were trapped in mud/flood waters and creek bridge crossings, with several houses overtaken by mud and debris flow. Evacuation warnings were issued by San Bernardino County. SB County Fire stated about 50 homes were severely damaged with an additional 20 homes showing moderate damage.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1306496)
The 12 most recent records kept for San Bernardino County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-05-17 High WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Cadiz Basin 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-21 High WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Morongo Basin 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-03-05 High WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Morongo Basin 51 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-19 High WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Morongo Basin 62 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-19 Thunderstorm WindBig Bear City, San Bernardino County 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-18 High WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Western Mojave Desert 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-18 Thunderstorm WindBlue Jay, San Bernardino County 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-18 Thunderstorm WindSugarloaf, San Bernardino County 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-18 Flash FloodKeenbrook, San Bernardino County 0 0 –
2026-02-17 Winter WeatherSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Eastern Mojave Desert 0 0 –
2026-02-16 High WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Morongo Basin 58 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-02-16 Heavy RainScotland, San Bernardino County 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

Records with deaths or injuries in San Bernardino County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2003-12-25 Debris FlowSan Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino County Mountains Steady light to moderate rain began falling over the burned areas of the San Bernardino Mountains on 0600 PST 12/24/03. Approximately 24 hours later, mud, rock, and debris flows were being reported along highways and roads leading into the mountain resort communities. By 0800 PST on Christmas Day, more than two inches ... 14 10 $8.0M
2006-07-21 HeatRiverside County and San Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino County Valley/The Inland Empire Strong high pressure centered over the southwest United States and monsoon moisture during the last half of July led to numerous daily high minimum and high maximum temperature records, some of which were all time records. The strong subsidence over Southern California caused an unprecedented heat wave and widespread ... 10 6 –
2003-10-25 WildfireSan Bernardino County Named the Old Fire, this fire was started by an arsonist on October 25. It consumed 91,200 acres before it was fully contained on November 5, 2003. During the month of October, it destroyed 850 houses, 10 commercial buildings, 1460 power poles, 220 electrical transformers, several miles of highway and utility ... 4 5 $1.1B
2007-09-01 Excessive HeatRiverside County and San Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino And Riverside County Valleys - The Inland Empire Strong high pressure and easterly flow brought hot, humid weather to much of Southern California. Temperatures exceeded 95 along the coast and in the mountains, 105 in the Orange and San Diego County valleys, 110 in the Inland Empire and high deserts, and 115 in the lower deserts. Humidity levels were quite high for ... 4 2 –
2008-11-09 Strong WindSan Bernardino County · forecast zone Western Mojave Desert A 13-vehicle pileup occurred on Interstate 40 near Newberry Springs, killing four people (indirect fatalities). The Barstow-Daggett airport, located about 15 miles west of the crash site, measured a peak wind gust of 53 mph approximately 30 minutes before the crash occurred. Visibility was reported to be poor due to ... 46 kt wind 4 0 $1.4M
2022-11-08 Flash FloodOntario, San Bernardino County Ontario Fire department reported 6 person in the swiftwater channel in John Galvin park where the channel begins near I-10. Rainfall rates of 0.50 to 0.75 inches per hour had occurred from 7 am to 9 am in Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga. 3 persons were rescued. 3 more person were later found drowned in a retaining pond ... 3 0 –
2011-01-14 High WindRiverside County and San Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino And Riverside County Valleys - The Inland Empire Moderately high winds, estimated between 40 and 50 MPH, were blamed for downed power lines and a subsequent transformer explosion which killed three residents in the 5400 block of Acacia Avenue in San Bernardino, CA. The residents went outside to see what caused the explosion and a few small spot fires from sparks, ... 50 kt wind 3 0 $20K
2003-08-26 Flash FloodTwenty Nine Palms, San Bernardino County A flash flood from a stationary thunderstorm just south of Twentynine Palms swept a car off the road killing two people inside the car and a good Samaritan who tried to rescue them. 3 0 $80K
The costliest records in San Bernardino County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2003-10-25 WildfireSan Bernardino County 4 5 $1.1B
2003-11-01 WildfireHesperia, San Bernardino County 2 7 $447M
2010-12-19 FloodMt Baldy, San Bernardino County 0 0 $131M
2005-01-07 Heavy RainDevore, San Bernardino County 0 0 $109M
2007-10-22 WildfireSan Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino County Mountains 0 9 $93M
1998-02-23 Flash FloodSouthwest Portion, San Bernardino County 0 0 $91M
2003-10-21 WildfireFontana, San Bernardino County 0 35 $80M
2007-10-22 WildfireSan Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino County Mountains 0 1 $71M

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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 1, 1983 (tornado, San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino 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).

San Bernardino County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Floods––––57213426303
High wind and dust storms––––58204298278
Heat––––22166 z272 z
Wildfires––––161294744
Winter storms––––18537388
Severe thunderstorm wind31141132375148

Heat in the 2010s: 66 records against 21 in the decade before, 66 of them forecast-zone records. Heat in the 2020-26: 272 records against 66 in the decade before, 272 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 San Bernardino 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?

51% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 315 · Feb 257 · Mar 220 · Apr 164 · May 133 · Jun 142 · Jul 523 · Aug 606 · Sep 349 · Oct 207 · Nov 207 · Dec 272 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for San Bernardino County

FEMA's register lists 61 declarations that include San Bernardino County: 30 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 24 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (33) and flood (13).

Declarations including San Bernardino County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2024-09-11FM-5537FireBridge Fire
2024-09-07FM-5535FireLine Fire
2023-04-03DR-4699Severe StormSevere Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2023-03-10EM-3592FloodSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2023-01-09EM-3591FloodSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides
2020-10-26FM-5381FireBlue Ridge Fire
2020-10-16DR-4569FireWildfires
2020-09-06FM-5350FireEl Dorado Fire
2020-08-02FM-5325FireApple Fire
2020-03-22DR-4482BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3428BiologicalCovid-19
2019-10-31FM-5301FireHillside Fire
2019-07-08EM-3415EarthquakeEarthquakes
2016-08-16FM-5147FireBlue Cut Fire
2016-08-08FM-5144FirePilot Fire
2015-07-17FM-5089FireNorth Fire
2011-09-02FM-2955FireHill Fire
2011-01-26DR-1952FloodSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows
2010-03-08DR-1884Severe StormSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows
2009-10-04FM-2841FireSheep Fire
2009-09-01FM-2836FirePendleton Fire
2009-08-31FM-2833FireOak Glen Fire
2008-11-15FM-2792FireFreeway Fire Complex
2007-10-24DR-1731FireWildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows
2007-10-23EM-3279FireWildfires
2007-10-22FM-2738FireGrass Valley Fire
2007-09-15FM-2728FireButler 2 Fire
2007-03-13DR-1689FreezingSevere Freeze
2006-07-12FM-2653FireSawtooth Fire Complex
2005-09-13EM-3248HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2005-04-14DR-1585Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows
2005-02-04DR-1577Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides
2003-10-27DR-1498FireWildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T
2003-10-25FM-2503FireOld Fire
2003-10-23FM-2501FireCa-Grand Prix Fire-10-23-2003
2003-09-06FM-2497FireCa-Bridge Fire-09-05-2003
2003-08-19FM-2491FireCa-Locust Wildfire-08-19-2003
2002-09-24FM-2464FireWilliams Fire
2002-06-27FM-2433FireLouisiana Fire
2002-06-17FM-2425FireBluecut Fire

The 40 most recent of 61 are listed; the CSV has every one.

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 San Bernardino County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 999 flood or flash flood records for San Bernardino County from 1996 to 2026, on 399 days, with 22 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), San Bernardino County ranks 358th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

Named storms on San Bernardino County's flood and tropical record
StormBeganRecordsDeaths in the county
Tropical Storm Hilary2023-08-2020

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $10.2 million on 864 claims filed in San Bernardino County; the most in one year was 110 in 1980. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 12 · 1979: 5 · 1980: 110 · 1981: 13 · 1982: 23 · 1983: 54 · 1984: 4 · 1986: 3 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 4 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 5 · 1991: 6 · 1992: 33 · 1993: 49 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 17 · 1996: 4 · 1997: 17 · 1998: 44 · 1999: 32 · 2000: 8 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 45 · 2004: 22 · 2005: 79 · 2006: 8 · 2007: 8 · 2008: 24 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 59 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 14 · 2015: 9 · 2016: 6 · 2017: 16 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 10 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2023: 16 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 38; 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 San Bernardino County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates San Bernardino County Very High overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.1 billion. 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.

National Risk Index ratings for San Bernardino County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
LandslideVery High$18M28 a year (modeled)
WildfireVery High$146Monce in about 106 years (modeled)
EarthquakeVery High$922Monce in about 9 years (modeled)
Riverine FloodingVery High$960M13 a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively High$18M12 modeled event-days a year
Strong WindRelatively High$4.0Monce in about 6 years (modeled)
LightningRelatively High$2.0M17 a year (modeled)
HailRelatively Moderate$1.9Monce in about 14 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with San Bernardino County

  1. Kern County 5,583
  2. San Bernardino County 3,395
  3. Riverside County 2,854
  4. Clark County, NV 2,054
  5. Mohave County, AZ 1,526
  6. Los Angeles County 1,395
  7. Orange County 1,090
  8. Inyo County 948
  9. La Paz County, AZ 430

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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