Stanislaus County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06099 · population 552,683 · 1,496 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 262 records for Stanislaus County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 231 days; the most frequent are heat records (52 records). 182 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 January 13, 2015 dense fog, filed for the forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley, which covers the county: 5 deaths, 3 injuries and $50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1964, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 3, 2023.
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
- 262on 231 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2137 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.9Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2023
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 Stanislaus County most?
The most frequent records are heat records: 52 since 1999. 46% of its heat records since 1999 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 52 | 51 | 1999-2024 | 4 | 2 | – | 15 of 57 |
| Drought | 47 | 47 | 2014-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.9B | 20 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 31 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 8 | $7.6M | 49 of 57 |
| Floods | 29 | 21 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $565K | 43 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 26 | 1998-2024 | 4 | 0 | $29M | 21 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 24 | 20 | 1996-2025 | 9 | 25 | $1.2M | 22 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 16 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 27 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 13 | 1953-2025 | 0 | 1 | $2.8M | 9 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 9 | 5 | 1980-2025 | 0 | 0 | $201K | 31 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2019-2025 | 0 | 0 | $25M | 48 of 57 |
| Hail | 4 | 3 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 48 of 57 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1999-2018 | 0 | 0 | $264K | 19 of 57 |
| Winter storms | 2 | 2 | 1996-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 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 Stanislaus County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Stanislaus County from 1953 to 2025, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 9th 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Stanislaus County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in California.
Every tornado record filed for Stanislaus County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-01 | Salida, Stanislaus County | EF0 0.9 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2016-04-27 | Waterford, Stanislaus County | EF0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $615 |
| 2015-12-24 | Modesto Airport, Stanislaus County | EF0 0.23 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2015-11-15 | Denair, Stanislaus County | EF1 3.04 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2006-04-14 | Modesto, Stanislaus County | F1 0.5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2005-03-20 | Modesto, Stanislaus County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-12-12 | Oakdale, Stanislaus County | F1 0.6 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1996-04-01 | Newman, Stanislaus County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-01-14 | Stanislaus County | F1 0.3 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1978-03-04 | Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1978-03-01 | Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1958-04-01 | Stanislaus County | F1 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-04-27 | Stanislaus County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Stanislaus County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 24, 2025 high wind ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-21 | FloodSalida, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | FloodSalida, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | FloodSalida, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-03 | FloodHickman, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-24 | FloodCeres, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-24 | High WindAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-09-02 | WildfireAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2025-04-01 | TornadoSalida, Stanislaus County | EF0 0.9 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-03-17 | Thunderstorm WindTurlock Municipal Airport, Stanislaus County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-03-17 | Funnel CloudDenair, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-11-03 | Strong WindAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 30 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2024-08-06 | Cold/Wind ChillAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01-13 | Dense FogCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley A 2 vehicle car crash occurred on Highway 4 off Van Allen Rd., east of the city of Stockton, resulting in 5 fatalities and 3 injuries. The accident occurred at approximately 6:30 am PST and is thought to be related to poor visibility from fog. First responders reported visibility less than 100 feet when they arrived ... | 5 | 3 | $50K | |
| 2013-10-27 | Strong WindCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley Onshore winds increased in the afternoon Oct. 27th ahead of the strong trough. Winds in Tracy measured 44mph, Stockton measured 44mph, and Campo Seco measured 49mph. Blowing dust greatly restricted visibility and brought traffic to a slow crawl on highly traveled roads (I-5 and I-580) in the late afternoon and evening ... | 43 kt wind | 2 | 2 | – |
| 2008-07-09 | HeatCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley A daily maximum temperature record of 109 degrees was set at the Modesto Airport. This broke the previous record of 106 degrees set in 2006. A daily high minimum temperature record of 77 degrees was set at the Modesto Airport. This broke the previous record of 70 degrees set in 1997. A daily maximum temperature record ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 1998-12-11 | Dense FogCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone San Joaquin T Nw/Stanislaus/X Sw Tuolumne/Sw Calaveras Dense fog resulted in a multi-fatal accident 15 miles northeast of Stockton on Highway 88 at about 0410 PST. | 2 | 2 | $72K | |
| 2006-01-01 | FloodCountywide, Stanislaus County A series of warm winter storms brought heavy rain, mudslides, flooding, and high winds to Northern California. - Levee overtopping, breaching, and river flooding occurred along the Feather and Sacramento mainstem rivers as well as along numerous smaller rivers, creeks, and streams. Several urban areas had significant ... | 1 | 1 | $146K | |
| 2024-08-06 | Cold/Wind ChillAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley A report of a distressed person in the water on the Stanislaus River near Salida, CA was received around 7:45 PM. By 8:18 PM, the body of a 26-year old male was recovered. Lifesaving measures were attempted by first responders, but he was later pronounced deceased. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-25 | Cold/Wind ChillAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley A swimmer was swimming in the Woodward Reservoir across the channel near Mountain View Point on May 25th, 2024 and was found dead after he went under the water and never came back up. Authorities found his body around 8pm. Water Temperature at Stanislaus River at Oakdale CA, approximately 5 miles from the Woodward ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-09 | Cold/Wind ChillAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley On May 9th, a 30 year old female was watching her children play in the water and noticed her 11 year old daughter struggling to keep her head above water. The 30 year old female then jumped into the river to help, but also struggled to stay afloat. Soon after seeing this, her 14 year old son then jumped in the water ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-12-01 | DroughtCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 0 | 0 | $1.9B | |
| 2007-01-14 | Frost/FreezeCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2008-01-04 | High WindCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6.0M |
| 2015-11-15 | TornadoDenair, Stanislaus County | EF1 3.04 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2006-04-02 | Heavy RainCountywide, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2009-12-05 | Dense FogCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 0 | 16 | $963K | |
| 2022-12-31 | Strong WindCalaveras County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 47 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $504K |
| 2006-04-14 | FloodModesto, Stanislaus County | 0 | 0 | $366K |
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: January 14, 1980 (tornado, Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 31 | 5 | 15 z |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 25 | 22 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 6 | 0 | 17 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 16 | 1 | 7 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 10 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 15 records against 5 in the decade before, 15 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 Stanislaus 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?
46% of its heat records since 1999 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 19 · Mar 25 · Apr 25 · May 27 · Jun 17 · Jul 18 · Aug 11 · Sep 16 · Oct 15 · Nov 17 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Stanislaus County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Stanislaus County: 14 major disasters, 5 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (6) and severe storm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-03 | DR-4699 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-03-10 | EM-3592 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2020-08-22 | DR-4558 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-08-21 | FM-5338 | Fire | Scu Ligtning Complex Fire |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-04-01 | DR-4308 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2007-03-13 | DR-1689 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 2006-06-05 | DR-1646 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998-02-09 | DR-1203 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 1997-01-04 | DR-1155 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides |
| 1995-03-12 | DR-1046 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow |
| 1991-02-11 | DR-894 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1983-02-09 | DR-677 | Coastal Storm | Coastal Storms, Floods, Slides & Tornadoes |
| 1977-01-20 | EM-3023 | Drought | Drought |
| 1969-01-26 | DR-253 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-183 | 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 Stanislaus County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 29 flood or flash flood records for Stanislaus County from 1996 to 2026, on 21 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Stanislaus County ranks 845th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.7 million on 242 claims filed in Stanislaus County; the most in one year was 73 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 11 · 1985: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1995: 40 · 1996: 15 · 1997: 48 · 1998: 73 · 2000: 6 · 2002: 1 · 2006: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 4 · 2014: 1 · 2017: 17 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2025: 1; 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 Stanislaus County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Stanislaus County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $265 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Very High | $71M | 74 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $85M | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $94M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.3M | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $8.3M | 7.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.7M | once in about 167 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $39K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $298K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Stanislaus 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
- Heat in CaliforniaThe state's heat 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 Stanislaus CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Stanislaus County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis