San Diego County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06073 · population 3,295,981 · 4,210 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,725 records for San Diego County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,345 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (663 records). 1,607 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 October 25, 2003 wildfire: 14 deaths, 90 injuries and $1.7 billion in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 51 declarations naming the county since 1965, 49 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm and Flooding” on February 19, 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
- 2,725on 1,345 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1381,409 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.6Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 27strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 51latest 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 Diego County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 663 since 1996. 44% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 663 | 419 | 1996-2026 | 7 | 66 | $96M | 17 of 57 |
| Floods | 529 | 252 | 1997-2026 | 12 | 25 | $119M | 10 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 296 | 200 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 12 | $772K | 9 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 209 | 171 | 1996-2025 | 31 | 621 | $3.1B | 7 of 57 |
| Heat | 189 | 111 | 1997-2025 | 17 | 320 | $577K | 21 of 57 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 150 | 124 | 1996-2025 | 23 | 135 | $3.0M | 5 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 140 | 84 | 1997-2026 | 4 | 9 | $70M | 12 of 57 |
| Drought | 131 | 27 | 2004-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 118 | 80 | 1955-2026 | 5 | 5 | $11M | 3 of 57 |
| Winter storms | 91 | 76 | 1997-2025 | 28 | 180 | $1.3M | 35 of 57 |
| Hail | 53 | 46 | 1958-2024 | 0 | 7 | $648K | 10 of 57 |
| Lightning | 43 | 38 | 1997-2023 | 1 | 9 | $254K | 1 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 41 | 31 | 2003-2024 | 1 | 0 | $73M | 18 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 31 | 19 | 1998-2022 | 4 | 15 | $169M | 38 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 26 | 1956-2019 | 0 | 4 | $2.9M | 12 of 57 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 14 | 9 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 1 | $1.5M | 6 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 Diego County had?
NOAA records 27 tornadoes in San Diego County from 1956 to 2019, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries recorded in the county. That is 12th of 57 California 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 27 tornadoes whose track touched San Diego County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 27, 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 Diego County (27)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-22 | Boulder Oaks, San Diego County | EFU 0.31 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-22 | Cardiff By The Sea, San Diego County | EF0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $142 |
| 2006-03-11 | Ramona, San Diego County | F0 2 mi x 45 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2006-03-10 | Encinitas, San Diego County | F0 0.2 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2005-02-23 | Chula Vista, San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-02-19 | Rainbow, San Diego County | F0 2.2 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2005-02-19 | Fallbrook, San Diego County | F0 2.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $76K |
| 2004-10-17 | Oceanside, San Diego County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2000-11-10 | Poway, San Diego County | F1 0.4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 1999-07-12 | Julian, San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1998-02-09 | Cardiff By The Sea, San Diego County | F0 3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-01-29 | Encinitas, San Diego County | F1 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-05-20 | Borrego Spgs, San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-12-07 | San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1992-02-15 | San Diego County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-03-27 | San Diego County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-03-19 | San Diego County | F1 1 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-01-14 | San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-02-04 | San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-03-17 | San Diego County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-02-20 | San Diego County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-01-18 | San Diego County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-12-18 | San Diego County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1974-10-29 | San Diego County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1971-02-23 | San Diego County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-10-08 | San Diego County | F1 | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1956-04-13 | San Diego County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 San Diego County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 24, 2025 strong wind (1 death).
A man was killed after a large tree fell on him in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego. Winds were gusting to 40 mph in the area at the time of the report.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1306530)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-12 | Heavy RainWhispering Pines, San Diego County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | High WindSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Deserts | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindRancho Santa Fe, San Diego County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-16 | Heavy RainUniversity Hgts, San Diego County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindOrange County and 2 more · forecast zone Santa Ana Mountains And Foothills | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindOrange County and 2 more · forecast zone Santa Ana Mountains And Foothills | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains | 76 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-08 | High WindOrange County and 2 more · forecast zone Santa Ana Mountains And Foothills | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-01 | FloodSorrento, San Diego County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | FloodHillcrest, San Diego 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-10-25 | WildfirePine Hills, San Diego County Named the Cedar Fire, this fire was started around sunset on October 25 by a lost hunter. Wind gusts from the northeast over 30 mph began within 2 hours of the fire's start. Atmospheric conditions remained favorable for rapid fire growth for the four days following with maximum temperatures ranging between 88 and 98, ... | 14 | 90 | $1.7B | |
| 1997-01-07 | Winter WeatherSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains Persistent northerly flow and low pressure aloft along the west coast, resulted in a prolonged period of cold and snow for the San Diego Mountains. Up to 18 inches of snow was reported over the higher elevations of the Laguna Mountains, with temperatures dipping into the upper teens and twenties at night. Undocumented ... | 14 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-10-21 | WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys A 52 year-old Potrero man was killed while trying to save his home. At least seven others were killed after having crossed the border illegally. | 8 | 61 | $107M | |
| 1999-04-01 | Heavy SnowSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains Snow began late in the morning and continued till around midnight. The heaviest snow fell between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. At the 3700 foot elevation, nine inches of snow fell in a six hour period. At the 5650 foot elevation, eighteen inches of new snow fell in a twelve hour period. In the Pine Creek Wilderness Area of the ... | 8 | 13 | – | |
| 2000-03-05 | Winter StormSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains A winter storm started out on the evening of Saturday, March 4 with heavy wet snow at the higher elevations and heavy rain and flooding at the lower elevations. Sustained 40 knot winds overnight caused heavy surf and several boats to lose their anchorage. On Sunday, March 5, strong winds continued to cause damage to ... | 3 | 13 | $86K | |
| 2006-07-21 | HeatSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Mountains 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 ... | 3 | 6 | – | |
| 2002-12-16 | FloodFallbrook, San Diego County Almost two inches of rain fell in a two hour period, causing low lying roads and most creeks to flood. In Carlsbad, 5 women tried to cross a flooded bridge in a car, which stalled midway then floated downstream and overturned. Two women escaped, the other three drowned. Mudslides closed roads in Fallbrook and ... | 3 | 2 | $98K | |
| 2007-03-22 | Thunderstorm WindLake Henshaw, San Diego County A closed low over northern Baja created conditions favorable for the formation of high based convection across southern California. Thunderstorms initiated over the deserts in the afternoon and then quickly moved westward over the mountains and towards the coast. An inverted V signature was noted above the 950 mb ... | 30 kt wind | 3 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-10-25 | WildfirePine Hills, San Diego County | 14 | 90 | $1.7B | |
| 2007-10-21 | WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys | 2 | 40 | $457M | |
| 2007-10-22 | WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys | 0 | 5 | $236M | |
| 2003-10-26 | WildfireValley Center, San Diego County | 2 | 18 | $124M | |
| 2007-10-21 | WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys | 8 | 61 | $107M | |
| 2007-01-13 | Frost/FreezeSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys | 0 | 0 | $104M | |
| 2007-10-21 | WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Coastal Areas | 0 | 0 | $71M | |
| 1996-10-21 | WildfireHarmony Grove, San Diego County | 0 | 6 | $70M |
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: February 4, 1985 (tornado, San Diego County); January 14, 1990 (tornado, San Diego County); March 19, 1991 (tornado, San Diego 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 Diego 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 | – | – | – | – | 56 | 138 | 258 | 211 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 23 | 152 | 166 | 188 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 22 | 78 | 133 | 63 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 23 | 116 | 30 | 40 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 5 | 33 | 53 | 98 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 19 | 39 | 74 | 18 |
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 428 · Feb 307 · Mar 222 · Apr 143 · May 86 · Jun 99 · Jul 196 · Aug 264 · Sep 224 · Oct 189 · Nov 224 · Dec 343 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for San Diego County
FEMA's register lists 51 declarations that include San Diego County: 27 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 18 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (28) and flood (12).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-19 | DR-4758 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2023-01-14 | DR-4683 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-01-09 | EM-3591 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2020-10-16 | DR-4569 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-07-06 | FM-5251 | Fire | West Fire |
| 2018-01-02 | DR-4353 | Fire | Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows |
| 2017-12-08 | EM-3396 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2017-12-07 | FM-5228 | Fire | Lilac Fire |
| 2017-03-16 | DR-4305 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2016-06-19 | FM-5128 | Fire | Border 3 Fire |
| 2014-05-14 | FM-5054 | Fire | Poinsettia Fire |
| 2014-05-14 | FM-5055 | Fire | Cocos Fire |
| 2012-09-24 | FM-5021 | Fire | Shockey Fire |
| 2011-01-26 | DR-1952 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows |
| 2007-10-24 | DR-1731 | Fire | Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows |
| 2007-10-23 | EM-3279 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2007-10-22 | FM-2739 | Fire | Rice Fire |
| 2007-10-21 | FM-2734 | Fire | Witch Fire |
| 2007-10-21 | FM-2735 | Fire | Harris Fire |
| 2007-09-15 | FM-2729 | Fire | Angel Fire |
| 2007-03-13 | DR-1689 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 2006-07-24 | FM-2656 | Fire | Horse Fire |
| 2005-10-06 | FM-2585 | Fire | Border # 50 Fire |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-09-05 | FM-2582 | Fire | Sundevil Fire |
| 2005-04-14 | DR-1585 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows |
| 2005-02-04 | DR-1577 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides |
| 2004-07-14 | FM-2529 | Fire | Ca - Mataguay Fire - 7-13-2004 |
| 2003-10-27 | DR-1498 | Fire | Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T |
| 2003-10-26 | FM-2505 | Fire | Ca-Cedar Fire-10-26-2003 |
| 2003-10-26 | FM-2506 | Fire | Paradise Fire |
| 2002-07-30 | FM-2456 | Fire | Ca - Pines Fire - 07/30/02 |
| 2002-02-11 | FM-2396 | Fire | Gavilan Fire |
| 1998-02-09 | DR-1203 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-10-23 | EM-3120 | Fire | Severe Firestorms |
| 1995-03-12 | DR-1046 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow |
| 1995-01-10 | DR-1044 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud Flows |
| 1993-10-28 | DR-1005 | Fire | Fires, Mud/Landslides, Flooding, Soil Erosion |
The 40 most recent of 51 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 Diego County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 529 flood or flash flood records for San Diego County from 1997 to 2026, on 252 days, with 12 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), San Diego County ranks 161st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $48.0 million on 2,442 claims filed in San Diego County; the most in one year was 257 in 1980. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 44 · 1979: 40 · 1980: 257 · 1981: 14 · 1982: 28 · 1983: 215 · 1984: 6 · 1985: 15 · 1986: 4 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 132 · 1991: 27 · 1992: 28 · 1993: 94 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 137 · 1996: 8 · 1997: 18 · 1998: 234 · 1999: 9 · 2000: 10 · 2001: 15 · 2002: 6 · 2003: 12 · 2004: 59 · 2005: 94 · 2006: 7 · 2007: 8 · 2008: 10 · 2009: 17 · 2010: 150 · 2011: 7 · 2012: 13 · 2013: 17 · 2014: 21 · 2015: 19 · 2016: 98 · 2017: 101 · 2018: 53 · 2019: 45 · 2020: 38 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 12 · 2023: 59 · 2024: 213 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 24; 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 Diego County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates San Diego County Very High overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.5 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very High | $430M | once in about 38 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | $648M | 7.9 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $426M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively High | $3.1M | 177 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $24M | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $829K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $825K | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 1.6 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 San Diego 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 CaliforniaEvery California tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in CaliforniaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The California recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in San Diego CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download San Diego County's FEMA declarations (CSV)51 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis