Wallowa County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41063 · population 7,373 · 3,146 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 343 records for Wallowa County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 287 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (154 records). 247 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 March 7, 2009 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Wallowa County, which covers the county: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1964, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 3, 2020.
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
- 343on 287 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $215Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 2020
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 Wallowa County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 154 since 2001. 47% of its winter storm records since 2001 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Oregon'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 | 154 | 139 | 2001-2026 | 0 | 0 | $109K | 25 of 36 |
| Hail | 39 | 27 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 4 | – | 11 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 31 | 2000-2021 | 0 | 0 | $804K | 32 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 30 | 27 | 2002-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 36 |
| Floods | 20 | 17 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 22 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 17 | 14 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 17 of 36 |
| Heat | 16 | 11 | 2002-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 8 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1968-2016 | 0 | 0 | $212M | 13 of 36 |
| Lightning | 6 | 5 | 2000-2006 | 0 | 0 | $67K | 13 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 5 | 2003-2023 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 20 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2009-2010 | 1 | 2 | – | 20 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1998-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 36 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 36 |
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 Wallowa County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Wallowa County from 1968 to 2016, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 13th of 36 Oregon 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Wallowa County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Wallowa County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-07-12 | Roberts Butte, Wallowa County | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-05-09 | Lostine, Wallowa County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-06 | Wallowa County | EF0 0.24 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2006-08-21 | Enterprise, Wallowa County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-22 | Wallowa County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-06-23 | Wallowa County | F1 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-11 | Wallowa County | F2 9.6 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M 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 Wallowa County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 11, 2022 hail (4 injuries).
A trained spotter in Wallowa, OR reported a severe thunderstorm that was producing hailstones the size of tennis balls. Reports and pictures received from the public also indicated that hail had damaged the sidings of windows of homes, as well as damaging the panels and windows of uncovered vehicles. 4 injuries from the large hailstones were also relayed by the trained spotter.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1053548)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 | Heavy SnowUnion County and Wallowa County · forecast zone Wallowa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Heavy SnowUmatilla County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Heavy SnowUmatilla County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-15 | Heavy SnowUmatilla County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-17 | Heavy SnowUmatilla County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-15 | Heavy SnowUmatilla County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-12 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillUmatilla County and 2 more · forecast zone Northern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-12 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillUnion County and Wallowa County · forecast zone Wallowa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowUnion County and Wallowa County · forecast zone Wallowa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-08-11 | HailMinam, Wallowa County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 4 | – |
| 2016-07-12 | TornadoRoberts Butte, Wallowa County | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-05-09 | TornadoLostine, Wallowa County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-03-07 | AvalancheWallowa County · forecast zone Wallowa County A 50 year old Enterprise, Oregon man died in an avalanche while backcountry skiing in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Two other people were rescued. The quarter mile long slap avalanche occurred about 1 pm. Heavy snow had fallen in the area earlier in the week. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-08-11 | HailMinam, Wallowa County A trained spotter in Wallowa, OR reported a severe thunderstorm that was producing hailstones the size of tennis balls. Reports and pictures received from the public also indicated that hail had damaged the sidings of windows of homes, as well as damaging the panels and windows of uncovered vehicles. 4 injuries from ... | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 4 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-18 | Flash FloodJoseph, Wallowa County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2007-11-12 | High WindWallowa County · forecast zone Wallowa County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $712K |
| 2009-05-06 | TornadoWallowa County | EF0 0.24 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 11, 1968 (tornado, Wallowa 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 Wallowa 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 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 45 | 67 | 42 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 16 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 13 | 17 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 8 | 9 | 1 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% of its winter storm records since 2001 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 44 · Mar 20 · Apr 12 · May 25 · Jun 32 · Jul 30 · Aug 35 · Sep 17 · Oct 12 · Nov 28 · Dec 54 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wallowa County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Wallowa County: 7 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (4) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4519 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-08-21 | FM-5107 | Fire | Grizzly Bear Fire Complex |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997-01-23 | DR-1160 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land and Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1099 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1977-04-29 | EM-3039 | Drought | Drought |
| 1974-01-25 | DR-413 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-184 | 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 Wallowa County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Wallowa County from 1998 to 2020, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wallowa County ranks 2181st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $17,000 on 16 claims filed in Wallowa County; the most in one year was 4 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2019: 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 Wallowa County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wallowa County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $914K | once in about 15 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | once in about 190 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $10K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $60K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $421K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $25K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $95K | once in about 329 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Wallowa 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 OregonEvery Oregon tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in OregonThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Oregon recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Wallowa CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wallowa County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis