White Pine County, Nevada
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 32033 · population 9,009 · 8,887 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 811 records for White Pine County, Nevada from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 489 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (394 records). 715 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 17, 2023 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone White Pine, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1969, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 13, 2005.
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
- 811on 489 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 26 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $411Kas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F0
- 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 White Pine County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 394 since 1997. The rank column places the county among Nevada'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 | 394 | 236 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 1 | $16K | 7 of 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | 308 | 200 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 10 of 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 43 | 40 | 1961-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 17 |
| Floods | 28 | 22 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 14 of 17 |
| Hail | 9 | 9 | 1977-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 17 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 9 | 1964-1998 | 0 | 1 | $238K | 7 of 17 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 6 | 2010-2023 | 1 | 2 | $32K | 7 of 17 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 17 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 3 | 2008-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 17 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2018-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 17 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2018-2019 | 0 | 2 | $40K | 11 of 17 |
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 White Pine County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in White Pine County from 1964 to 1998, the strongest rated F0, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 7th of 17 Nevada 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched White Pine County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nevada.
Every tornado record filed for White Pine County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07-23 | Ely, White Pine County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-23 | Ely, White Pine County | F0 0.2 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-06-12 | White Pine County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-05-17 | White Pine County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-08-20 | White Pine County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-08-19 | White Pine County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1975-09-11 | White Pine County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-09-08 | White Pine County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1964-05-26 | White Pine County | 0 | 1 | $25K 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 White Pine County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 17, 2023 winter weather (1 death and 1 injury).
Snow and wind produced adverse driving conditions along US-93 near the town of Ely, reducing visibility to 3/4 of a mile in the area. This led to a fatal crash due to adverse driving conditions. A passenger was also seriously injured when the Ford F-350 Pickup truck went off the road and overturned. A Winter Weather Advisory was in effect.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1068797)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-12 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-11 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | High WindElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | High WindElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-16 | Heavy SnowElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-17 | Winter WeatherWhite Pine County · forecast zone White Pine Snow and wind produced adverse driving conditions along US-93 near the town of Ely, reducing visibility to 3/4 of a mile in the area. This led to a fatal crash due to adverse driving conditions. A passenger was also seriously injured when the Ford F-350 Pickup truck went off the road and overturned. A Winter Weather ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-02-20 | AvalancheElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range Three snowmobilers were caught in an avalanche which occurred near the Castle Lake area of Lamoille Canyon. One snowmobiler perished while another sustained injuries during the avalanche. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2019-08-04 | WildfireElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range Two volunteer firefighters were injured while battling the fire. The fire came upon their position and burned over them and their vehicle. The vehicle sustained damage and one firefighter needed to be transported to the hospital. | 0 | 2 | $40K | |
| 2018-03-04 | AvalancheElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range Elko Daily Press reports a snowmobiler was injured by driving into an earlier avalanche in Lamoille Canyon Sunday evening. Heavy snow fell over the previous two days in the Ruby Mountains. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1964-05-26 | TornadoWhite Pine County | 0 | 1 | $25K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-08-04 | WildfireElko County and White Pine County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains/E Humboldt Range | 0 | 2 | $40K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 26, 1964 (tornado, White Pine 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 White Pine 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 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 91 | 96 | 185 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 43 z | 252 z |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 | 11 | 6 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 43 records against 11 in the decade before, 43 of them forecast-zone records. High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 252 records against 43 in the decade before, 251 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 White Pine 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?
Records by month in White Pine County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 89 · Feb 119 · Mar 113 · Apr 84 · May 56 · Jun 54 · Jul 24 · Aug 42 · Sep 26 · Oct 27 · Nov 74 · Dec 103 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for White Pine County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include White Pine County: 2 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and snowstorm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4523 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3443 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3243 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-23 | EM-3204 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3202 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 1977-06-11 | EM-3041 | Drought | Drought |
| 1969-04-19 | DR-258 | Flood | 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 White Pine County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for White Pine County from 1998 to 2023, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), White Pine County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,511 on 8 claims filed in White Pine County; the most in one year was 2 in 1991. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2023: 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 White Pine County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates White Pine County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $289K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $662K | once in about 598 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $626K | once in about 95 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $134K | 94 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $760K | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $976 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.9M | about once 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 White Pine 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 NevadaEvery Nevada tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in NevadaThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Nevada recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in White Pine CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download White Pine County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis