Tehama County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06103 · population 65,755 · 2,949 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 933 records for Tehama County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 525 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (385 records). 794 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 November 8, 2018 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley, which covers the county: 86 deaths, 12 injuries and $20 billion in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1964, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Park Fire” on July 25, 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
- 933on 525 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 132190 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22.8Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Tehama County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 385 since 1996. 43% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 385 | 251 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $276K | 15 of 57 |
| Drought | 119 | 46 | 2015-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 57 |
| Heat | 93 | 48 | 1999-2026 | 1 | 2 | – | 30 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 89 | 59 | 1996-2025 | 9 | 11 | $8.8M | 50 of 57 |
| Floods | 77 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $72M | 45 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 59 | 40 | 1997-2024 | 115 | 166 | $22.7B | 34 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 38 | 31 | 1998-2024 | 4 | 0 | $142K | 24 of 57 |
| Hail | 26 | 16 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 2 | $49K | 23 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 10 | 1978-2026 | 0 | 1 | $7.5M | 27 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 11 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 7 | 1997-2022 | 0 | 8 | – | 47 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 8 | 6 | 1980-2023 | 0 | 0 | $17K | 40 of 57 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 3 | 3 | 1996-2021 | 1 | 0 | – | 29 of 57 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 57 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 35 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 Tehama County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Tehama County from 1978 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 27th 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Tehama County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in California.
Every tornado record filed for Tehama County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-12 | Vina, Tehama County | EF0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-03 | Dales, Tehama County | EFU 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-04-25 | Kirkwood, Tehama County | EF0 2.02 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2021-01-04 | Vina, Tehama County | EF0 2.66 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-01-04 | Henleyville, Tehama County | EF0 0.78 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-04-04 | Red Bluff Municipal, Tehama County | EF0 0.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-02-19 | Gerber, Tehama County | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 1987-03-14 | Tehama County | F0 0.2 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-09-24 | Tehama County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1980-05-09 | Tehama County | F2 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-03-05 | Tehama County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1978-03-05 | Tehama County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1978-03-05 | Tehama County | 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 Tehama County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 15, 2026 winter storm ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Excessive HeatTehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley In Tehama County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-14 | Excessive HeatTehama County · forecast zone Western Tehama County Foothills Between 1000-3000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-14 | Excessive HeatTehama County · forecast zone Tehama County Coast Range Above 3000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-14 | Excessive HeatTehama County and 2 more · forecast zone Sierra Nevada Of Tehama-Butte-Plumas Counties Between 1000-3000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | Heavy SnowTehama County and 2 more · forecast zone Sierra Nevada Of Tehama-Butte-Plumas Counties Above 3000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | Heavy SnowLassen County and 3 more · forecast zone Lassen Volcanic National Park | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | FloodKirkwood, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | FloodCorning, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | FloodCorning, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-12 | TornadoVina, Tehama County | EF0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-10 | Heavy SnowButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-25 | FloodCorning Municipal Airport, Tehama 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-08 | WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley The Camp Fire began on the morning of November 8, 2018, by Camp Creek Road, near Pulga in Butte County. The fire was not fully contained until November 25. This fire was the most destructive wildfire in California history, destroying much of the city of Paradise, the community of Concow, and damaging the towns of ... | 86 | 12 | $20.0B | |
| 2020-09-07 | WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley Immediate evacuation orders where given to Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Forbestown, Clipper Mills, and Feather Falls areas the evening of September 8. Later that night gusty north and east winds continued to push the fires from the North Complex down the terrain, which would eventually make a run into Butte County and ... | 16 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-07-26 | High WindShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley A powerful fire whirl developed within the Carr Fire in western Redding, CA on July 26th, with winds estimated in excess of 143 mph, equivalent to an EF3 tornado. The fire whirl was estimated to be on ground from 7:30 – 8:00 p.m. The fire whirl caused extensive tornado-like damage while rapidly spreading the fire. The ... | 134 kt wind | 4 | 6 | – |
| 2020-09-27 | WildfireShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley A wildfire started on September 27 on Zogg Mine Road and Jenny Bird Lane, North of Igo in Shasta County and would span portions of zone 15 and 63 in Shasta and Tehama counties. The fire would eventually claim 4 lives, cause an injury to a firefighter, destroy 204 structures, damage 27 structures, and burn 56,338 acres. | 4 | 1 | – | |
| 2018-07-23 | WildfireShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley The Carr Fire began on the afternoon of July 23, 2018, at the intersection of Highway 299 and Carr Powerhouse Road, near French Gulch in Shasta County. The fire is reported to have been started accidentally by a vehicle towing a trailer that had a tire blow out, causing the steel rim to scrape along the pavement, ... | 4 | 0 | $1.8B | |
| 2008-07-01 | WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley The Butte (BTU) Lightning Complex consisted of 41 fires initiated by lightning on June 21st and spread over 59,440 acres. One civilian death was reported in Concow on July 11th. There were 65 injuries this month (mainly firefighters) in addition to the six injured in June. There were 106 residences and 11 outbuildings ... | 1 | 65 | – | |
| 2014-07-11 | WildfireColusa County and 4 more · forecast zone Mountains Southwest Shasta County To Northern Lake County The Bully Fire in Shasta County began on the afternoon of July 11th as weather conditions were becoming drier and warmer. The fire started near Plantina Road at Bland Road west of Igo and Ono communities, caused by a vehicle driving over dry vegetation. By the time it was contained, the fire grew 12,661 acres, ... | 1 | 21 | – | |
| 2018-07-27 | WildfireColusa County and 4 more · forecast zone Mountains Southwest Shasta County To Northern Lake County The Mendocino Complex Fire (made up of the River and Ranch Fires) spread across Colusa County, Glenn County, Lake County, and Mendocino County, becoming the largest wildfire in California history at 459,123 acres. The Mendocino Complex Fire was not contained until September 18. There were 157 residential buildings ... | 1 | 16 | $66M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-08 | WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley | 86 | 12 | $20.0B | |
| 2018-07-23 | WildfireShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley | 4 | 0 | $1.8B | |
| 2000-09-29 | WildfireRed Bluff, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | $937M | |
| 2018-07-27 | WildfireColusa County and 4 more · forecast zone Mountains Southwest Shasta County To Northern Lake County | 1 | 16 | $66M | |
| 1998-02-02 | FloodShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley | 0 | 0 | $49M | |
| 2023-01-01 | FloodRed Flat Airstrip, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2014-12-03 | Flash FloodRed Bluff, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | $8.4M | |
| 2008-01-04 | High WindButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.4M |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: September 24, 1986 (tornado, Tehama 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 Tehama 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 | – | – | – | – | 56 | 88 | 110 | 131 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 24 | 95 z |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 21 | 11 | 59 z |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 17 | 21 | 32 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 2 | 28 | 38 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 4 | 14 | 11 | 30 |
Drought in the 2020-26: 95 records against 24 in the decade before, 95 of them forecast-zone records. Heat in the 2020-26: 59 records against 11 in the decade before, 59 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 Tehama 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?
43% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 148 · Feb 132 · Mar 101 · Apr 57 · May 37 · Jun 52 · Jul 68 · Aug 33 · Sep 50 · Oct 45 · Nov 77 · Dec 133 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Tehama County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Tehama County: 17 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (9) and fire (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-25 | FM-5519 | Fire | Park Fire |
| 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 |
| 2021-08-24 | DR-4610 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-05-17 | DR-4434 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2017-04-01 | DR-4308 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2012-08-19 | FM-5007 | Fire | Ponderosa Fire |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-26 | FM-2580 | Fire | Manton Fire |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3140 | Fire | Ca-Wildfires-08/25/1999 |
| 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 |
| 1995-01-10 | DR-1044 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud Flows |
| 1993-02-03 | DR-979 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Mud & Land Slides, & Flooding |
| 1991-02-11 | DR-894 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1986-02-21 | DR-758 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1983-02-09 | DR-677 | Coastal Storm | Coastal Storms, Floods, Slides & Tornadoes |
| 1977-01-20 | EM-3023 | Drought | Drought |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-412 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1970-02-16 | DR-283 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Tehama County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 77 flood or flash flood records for Tehama County from 1996 to 2026, on 38 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Tehama County ranks 576th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.6 million on 428 claims filed in Tehama County; the most in one year was 86 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1980: 3 · 1983: 86 · 1986: 23 · 1987: 2 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 7 · 1995: 63 · 1996: 20 · 1997: 15 · 1998: 75 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 2 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2014: 71 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 10; 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 Tehama County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Tehama County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $69.0 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 | Relatively High | $6.4M | 79 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $16M | once in about 127 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively High | $625K | 79 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $11M | once in about 28 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $35M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $58K | once in about 476 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $459K | 6.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $141K | 13 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 Tehama 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
- Winter storms in CaliforniaThe state's winter storm 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 Tehama CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Tehama County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis