Skamania County, Washington
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 53059 · population 12,011 · 1,658 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 403 records for Skamania County, Washington from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 255 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (308 records). 392 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 December 14, 2021 frost/freeze, filed for the forecast zone South Washington Cascades, which covers the county: 1 death, 1 injury and $22,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 29 declarations naming the county since 1964, 27 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
- 403on 255 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 31 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.1Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 29latest 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 Skamania County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 308 since 1996. 56% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Washington'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 308 | 190 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 12 of 39 |
| High wind and dust storms | 49 | 41 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.1B | 31 of 39 |
| Heat | 14 | 6 | 2006-2022 | 1 | 0 | – | 22 of 39 |
| Wildfires | 9 | 6 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | 23 of 39 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 6 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | $159K | 17 of 39 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 4 | 1998-2021 | 1 | 1 | $22K | 20 of 39 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 3 | 1997-2024 | 1 | 0 | $484K | 24 of 39 |
| Floods | 2 | 2 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 39 |
| Hail | 2 | 2 | 2008-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 39 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 39 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 39 |
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 Skamania County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 30, 2024 avalanche (1 death).
Time of incident unknown, but it was daylight when the incident occurred so used sunrise to sunset times.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1164629)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-06 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-19 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-14 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-12 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-15 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowSkamania County · forecast zone Central Columbia River Gorge - Sr 14 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Winter StormSkamania County · forecast zone West Columbia River Gorge - Sr 14 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-30 | Heavy SnowSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-03-30 | AvalancheSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-02 | WildfireSkamania County · forecast zone Central Columbia River Gorge | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2023-05-14 | Debris FlowSpirit Lake, Skamania County | 0 | 0 | $484K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-14 | Frost/FreezeCowlitz County and Skamania County · forecast zone South Washington Cascades Rain and snow showers occurred overnight, with clearing skies and temperatures dipping to or below freezing in the morning. A vehicle, carrying high school students on their way to school, slid and crashed into a fence and a house around 8am in the morning. | 1 | 1 | $22K | |
| 2024-03-30 | AvalancheSkamania County and 2 more · forecast zone South Washington Cascades Time of incident unknown, but it was daylight when the incident occurred so used sunrise to sunset times. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-08-18 | Excessive HeatClark County and 2 more · forecast zone Southern Washington Cascade Foothills Temperatures around 100 degrees lead to people seeking relief at local rivers. One drowning was reported at Paradise Point State Park west of La Center during this hot spell. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-08 | High WindCowlitz County and Skamania County · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1B |
| 2023-07-02 | WildfireSkamania County · forecast zone Central Columbia River Gorge | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 1996-12-29 | Ice StormClark County and Skamania County · forecast zone West Columbia River Gorge | 0 | 0 | $941K | |
| 2023-05-14 | Debris FlowSpirit Lake, Skamania County | 0 | 0 | $484K | |
| 2021-12-14 | Frost/FreezeCowlitz County and Skamania County · forecast zone South Washington Cascades | 1 | 1 | $22K |
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 Skamania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 94 | 117 | 80 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 26 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 96 · Feb 75 · Mar 31 · Apr 9 · May 3 · Jun 2 · Jul 5 · Aug 10 · Sep 6 · Oct 8 · Nov 40 · Dec 118 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Skamania County
FEMA's register lists 29 declarations that include Skamania County: 23 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (9).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4906 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-04-28 | DR-4775 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-07-03 | FM-5467 | Fire | Tunnel Five Fire |
| 2023-01-12 | DR-4682 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2022-10-17 | FM-5456 | Fire | Nakia Creek Fire |
| 2022-03-29 | DR-4650 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021-04-08 | DR-4593 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-02-04 | DR-4584 | Fire | Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4481 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3427 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-04-21 | DR-4309 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2016-02-02 | DR-4253 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and A T |
| 2016-01-15 | DR-4249 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-21 | EM-3372 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2012-03-05 | DR-4056 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2011-03-25 | DR-1963 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2009-03-02 | DR-1825 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow |
| 2009-01-30 | DR-1817 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding |
| 2007-09-21 | FM-2731 | Fire | Broughton Fire |
| 2007-02-14 | DR-1682 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2006-12-12 | DR-1671 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3227 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-03-01 | DR-1361 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1997-01-17 | DR-1159 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1100 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1980-05-21 | DR-623 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
| 1977-12-10 | DR-545 | Flood | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding |
| 1972-02-01 | DR-322 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1964-12-29 | DR-185 | 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 Skamania County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2 flood or flash flood records for Skamania County from 1996 to 1996, on 2 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Skamania County ranks 2212th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $334,000 on 15 claims filed in Skamania County; the most in one year was 6 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 2006: 6 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2015: 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 Skamania County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Skamania County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | $1.7M | once in about 76 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.3M | once in about 194 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.1M | once in about 80 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $22K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.0M | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $38K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $473 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Skamania County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Winter storms in WashingtonThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Washington recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Skamania CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Skamania County's FEMA declarations (CSV)29 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis