Wasco County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41065 · population 26,599 · 2,381 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 420 records for Wasco County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 292 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (166 records). 379 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 August 1, 2013 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades, which covers the county: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1964, 24 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Grasshopper Fire” on July 25, 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
- 420on 292 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 410 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.6Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest F0
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Wasco County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 166 since 2000. 57% of its winter storm records since 2000 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 | 166 | 118 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 5 | $291K | 20 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 94 | 70 | 2000-2026 | 1 | 0 | $728K | 24 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 65 | 57 | 1998-2025 | 2 | 2 | $364K | 9 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 14 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | $98K | 22 of 36 |
| Heat | 24 | 14 | 2002-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 17 | 13 | 1958-2023 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 16 of 36 |
| Hail | 14 | 12 | 1987-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 36 |
| Floods | 6 | 5 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2005-2014 | 1 | 1 | $53K | 18 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 2 | $35K | 29 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 1970-1970 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 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 Wasco County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Wasco County from 1970 to 1970, the strongest rated F0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 1 tornado whose track touched Wasco County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Wasco County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-05-11 | Wasco County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Wasco County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 8, 2019 wildfire ($346,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
An early season wildfire in La Pine sparked by a backyard debris burn that got out of control burned 12 acres destroying one house and damaging another.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 811886)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-14 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-11 | High WindSherman County and Wasco County · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-08 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-18 | Frost/FreezeGilliam County and 2 more · forecast zone Eastern Columbia River Gorge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-18 | Frost/FreezeSherman County and Wasco County · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-11 | WildfireGilliam County and 2 more · forecast zone Eastern Columbia River Gorge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-14 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-24 | High WindSherman County and Wasco County · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-15 | Heavy SnowDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindShaniko, Wasco County | 70 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-08-01 | WildfireDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades Lightning sparked a fire about 14 miles north of Sisters OR on August 1st. A local news reports that 1 firefighter was killed and 2 were injured while working on the fire. The fire has grown to roughly 500 acres or 0.78 square miles. The injuries occurred as the tree fallers worked to suppress the fire. One ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2014-03-30 | AvalancheDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades A call came in at 3:30 P.M. to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reporting that an avalanche with a width of 200 yards and a length of about 100 yards had buried a man and his snowmobile. The depth of the debris field was about 3 to 5 feet. Search and Rescue crews located him around 5:50 P.M. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2018-07-17 | WildfireSherman County and Wasco County · forecast zone North Central Oregon Inciweb. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-12-15 | High WindSherman County and Wasco County · forecast zone Eastern Columbia River Gorge Strong crosswinds gusting as high as 60 mph blew a semi-truck off the Highway 97 bridge that crosses the Columbia River Gorge. The vehicle fell into the river, killing the driver. | 1 | 0 | $171K | |
| 2000-12-21 | Winter StormJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon Light freezing rain that fell early in the morning left roads slick. This lead to at least 7 accidents over a period of 5 hours near the town of Madras. The most serious accident was a rollover on Highway 97 near High Bridge that injured several people. | 0 | 5 | $291K | |
| 1999-12-25 | Dense FogJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon Freezing fog in north central Oregon and elsewhere in the Columbia Basin led to several accidents in Jefferson Co, Oregon. Poor visibilities and slick roads contributed to a dozen or more accidents on Highway-97 south of Madras. Another accident just west of Sisters, Or. caused two injuries. | 0 | 2 | $35K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-08 | WildfireDeschutes County and 2 more · forecast zone East Slopes Of The Oregon Cascades | 0 | 0 | $346K | |
| 2000-12-21 | Winter StormJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 0 | 5 | $291K | |
| 2000-12-15 | High WindSherman County and Wasco County · forecast zone Eastern Columbia River Gorge | 1 | 0 | $171K | |
| 1999-12-25 | Dense FogJefferson County and 2 more · forecast zone North Central Oregon | 0 | 2 | $35K |
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 Wasco 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 | 74 | 47 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 33 | 39 | 22 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 2 | 23 | 35 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 10 | 12 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its winter storm records since 2000 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 58 · Feb 48 · Mar 22 · Apr 14 · May 16 · Jun 18 · Jul 41 · Aug 42 · Sep 12 · Oct 16 · Nov 49 · Dec 84 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wasco County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Wasco County: 11 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 12 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (14) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-25 | FM-5648 | Fire | Grasshopper Fire |
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4907 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2025-06-11 | FM-5587 | Fire | Rowena Fire |
| 2025-01-01 | DR-4854 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2024-07-11 | FM-5506 | Fire | Larch Creek Fire |
| 2024-04-13 | DR-4768 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2022-08-03 | FM-5446 | Fire | Miller Road Fire |
| 2020-09-15 | DR-4562 | Fire | Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-08-28 | FM-5341 | Fire | White River Fire |
| 2020-08-13 | FM-5327 | Fire | Mosier Creek Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-08-02 | FM-5265 | Fire | South Valley Fire |
| 2018-07-18 | FM-5255 | Fire | Substation Fire |
| 2014-08-06 | FM-5073 | Fire | Rowena Fire |
| 2013-08-18 | FM-5046 | Fire | Government Flats Fire Complex |
| 2009-08-28 | FM-2829 | Fire | Microwave Fire |
| 2007-02-22 | DR-1683 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2002-07-26 | FM-2452 | Fire | Or - Sheldon Ridge Fire - 07/25/02 |
| 1996-02-09 | DR-1099 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-08-03 | DR-1061 | Flood | 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 Wasco County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Wasco County from 2005 to 2020, on 5 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wasco County ranks 2358th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $94,000 on 10 claims filed in Wasco County; the most in one year was 4 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 4 · 1997: 3 · 2006: 1 · 2009: 1 · 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 Wasco County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wasco County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $28.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $15M | once in about 58 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $609K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $28K | once in about 79 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.4M | once in about 145 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $9K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $9.5M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $799K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $280K | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Wasco 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 Wasco CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wasco County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis