Weston County, Wyoming
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 56045 · population 6,822 · 2,398 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 911 records for Weston County, Wyoming from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 518 days; the most frequent are hail reports (304 records). The most damaging was the October 3, 2013 blizzard ($1.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1978, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Oil Creek Fire” on July 3, 2012.
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
- 911on 518 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.1Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 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 Weston County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 304 since 1956. 71% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Wyoming'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 304 | 167 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 5 of 23 |
| Winter storms | 302 | 207 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 4 of 23 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 170 | 108 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 1 | $810K | 4 of 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | 58 | 43 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $35K | 15 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 25 | 1950-2023 | 0 | 2 | $1.1M | 7 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 10 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 23 |
| Floods | 20 | 18 | 1998-2019 | 0 | 0 | $686K | 6 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 23 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 23 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 23 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 23 |
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 Weston County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Weston County from 1950 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 7th of 23 Wyoming 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 28 tornadoes whose track touched Weston County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wyoming.
Every tornado record filed for Weston County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-23 | Rochelle, Weston County | EF0 6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-07-17 | Four Corners, Weston County | EF0 1.42 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-07-03 | Newcastle, Weston County | EF0 1.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-22 | Osage, Weston County | EF0 0.01 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-10 | Four Corners, Weston County | EF1 2.53 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-02 | Upton, Weston County | EF0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-09 | Rochelle, Weston County | EF0 0.1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-14 | Rochelle, Weston County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-14 | Upton, Weston County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-12 | Rochelle, Weston County | F1 20 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-12 | Upton, Weston County | F0 12 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-09 | Newcastle, Weston County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1999-07-17 | Newcastle, Weston County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-11 | Newcastle, Weston County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-20 | Morrisey, Weston County | F0 5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-11 | Weston County | F1 0.2 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1991-05-11 | Weston County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-05-20 | Weston County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-07-17 | Weston County | F0 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-05-06 | Weston County | F0 2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-08-11 | Weston County | 0 | 0 | $250 step | |
| 1964-07-02 | Weston County | F2 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-07-14 | Weston County | F1 7.9 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-11 | Weston County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1958-07-10 | Weston County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1958-06-12 | Weston County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-05-28 | Weston County | F2 38.2 mi x 433 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1950-06-14 | Weston County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Weston County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 22, 2014 hail ($2,493 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Large hail ripped bark off trees, dented cars, and smashed a rain gauge.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 527449)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | HailNewcastle, Weston County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailUpton, Weston County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailUpton, Weston County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Funnel CloudUpton, Weston County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindNewcastle, Weston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindWeston County · forecast zone Newcastle | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindWeston County · forecast zone Weston County Plains | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindWeston County · forecast zone Weston County Plains | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindWeston County · forecast zone Weston County Plains | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindWeston County · forecast zone Weston County Plains | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-15 | Thunderstorm WindOsage, Weston County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-15 | Thunderstorm WindRochelle, Weston County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-09 | TornadoNewcastle, Weston County A low pressure system over Wyoming pulled middle 60s dew points into the region all day. A surface trough moved across northeastern Wyoming initiating thunderstorms. A moderate upper level short wave provided support for sustained organized thunderstorms to become severe. Strong instability was noted with CAPE values ... | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1989-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindWeston County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-10-03 | BlizzardCrook County and Weston County · forecast zone Wyoming Black Hills | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2000-11-01 | BlizzardCrook County and Weston County · forecast zone Wyoming Black Hills | 0 | 0 | $991K | |
| 2010-07-19 | HailUpton, Weston County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $947K |
| 2013-05-27 | HailNewcastle, Weston County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $633K |
| 2000-11-01 | BlizzardWeston County · forecast zone Weston | 0 | 0 | $358K | |
| 2011-07-02 | HailUpton, Weston County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2011-10-06 | Thunderstorm WindNewcastle, Weston County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2005-10-04 | Winter StormCrook County and Weston County · forecast zone Wyoming Black Hills | 0 | 0 | $302K |
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: May 11, 1991 (tornado, Weston 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 Weston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 24 | 83 | 119 | 61 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 34 | 84 | 103 | 81 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 44 | 56 | 52 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 11 | 21 | 19 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | 6 | 10 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
71% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 58 · Mar 51 · Apr 55 · May 81 · Jun 169 · Jul 189 · Aug 90 · Sep 17 · Oct 38 · Nov 38 · Dec 69 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Weston County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Weston County: 4 major disasters, one emergency and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and fire (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-11 | DR-4535 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3479 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-07-03 | FM-2995 | Fire | Oil Creek Fire |
| 2011-07-22 | DR-4007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2001-08-01 | FM-2370 | Fire | Wy- Elk Mountain Fire Complex - 08/01/01 |
| 2000-12-13 | DR-1351 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1978-05-29 | DR-557 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides |
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 Weston County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Weston County from 1998 to 2019, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Weston County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,174 on 1 claim filed in Weston County; the most in one year was 1 in 2005. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2005: 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 Weston County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Weston County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $788K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $710K | once in about 315 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $90K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.2M | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $98K | once in about 877 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $328K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $84K | 44 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 Weston 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 WyomingEvery Wyoming tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in WyomingThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Wyoming recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Weston CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Weston County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis