Yuba County, California
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 06115 · population 81,512 · 632 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 407 records for Yuba County, California from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 303 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (95 records). 369 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 14, 2020 dense fog, filed for the forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley, which covers the county: 5 deaths. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1964, 25 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on March 10, 2023.
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
- 407on 303 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 4432 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $138Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2023
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 Yuba County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 95 since 1996. 48% 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 | 95 | 85 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 5 | $1.5M | 13 of 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | 79 | 60 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 2 | $56M | 20 of 57 |
| Drought | 73 | 50 | 2015-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 57 |
| Heat | 44 | 30 | 1999-2025 | 4 | 2 | – | 8 of 57 |
| Wildfires | 32 | 31 | 1997-2025 | 5 | 19 | $64M | 3 of 57 |
| Floods | 28 | 20 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 0 | $8.4M | 20 of 57 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 21 | 1998-2025 | 17 | 2 | $4.3M | 11 of 57 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 13 | 12 | 1996-2022 | 9 | 1 | $249K | 15 of 57 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 5 | 5 | 1988-2023 | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | 14 of 57 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 3 | 1992-2018 | 0 | 0 | $54K | 18 of 57 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 2 | 2 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 57 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 57 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 1 | $3K | 21 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 Yuba County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Yuba County from 1992 to 2018, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 18th 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Yuba County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in California.
Every tornado record filed for Yuba County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-21 | Arboga, Yuba County | EF0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2012-10-22 | Browns Vly, Yuba County | EF0 0.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-10-22 | Marysville Airport, Yuba County | EF1 0.29 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-12-17 | Yuba County | F1 5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Yuba 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-10 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Winter StormAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2026-02-15 | Winter StormAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 2026-01-02 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-24 | High WindAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-12-24 | High WindButte County and 5 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-12-24 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-21 | Flash FloodOregon House, Yuba County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-13 | Heavy SnowAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-02 | WildfireAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland | 0 | 1 | $25M | |
| 2025-08-03 | HeatAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-18 | Cold/Wind ChillAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada | 3 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-14 | Dense FogButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported a 10 vehicle pile up in Butte County, along highway 99 between Gridley and Biggs Saturday morning. The report noted 5 big rigs and 5 passenger vehicles were involved, which forced the highway to be closed for several hours. 5 fatalities were reported with this event, with 2 ... | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-10-08 | WildfireButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley The Wind Fire Complex included the Cascade, LaPorte, Lobo, and McCourtney fires. Total acreage of the Wind Complex was 17,037 acres. There was 1 injury and 4 fatalities. There were 398 structures destroyed, 203 residences, 194 outbuildings & 1 commercial structure. There were 16 structures destroyed, 6 residences & 10 ... | 4 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-06-18 | Cold/Wind ChillAlpine County and 8 more · forecast zone West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada Placer County Sheriff reported the missing hikers entered the water on June 18th and did not surface. Their bodies were recovered on June 22nd. Air temperatures at the time were in the mid 70s to 80s at the time of the report with water temperatures in the 40s to 50s. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-05-28 | Cold/Wind ChillAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland Three men went missing after being swept into the Cosumnes River in El Dorado County on Thursday. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said at around 4pm a caller reported seeing the men get swept into the river and disappear. Sheriff’s deputies, a dive team, a helicopter, and multiple fire and rescue crews all ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-02 | Flash FloodArboga, Yuba County A large levee break on the Feather River occurred as river flows equaled or exceeded the design parameters for the levee system. The results were 900 flooded homes and many people stranded on the roofs of homes and other high areas. Emergency crews made numerous boat and helicopter rescues during the morning of the ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-06-17 | Excessive HeatButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley Glenn County had 4 heat related hospital visits, with two fatalities where heat was a contributing factor, along with hypo-tonic dehydration. One of the fatalities was located in a mobile home without air conditioning, found on 06/17/2017 at 1926 PDT. The temperature of the house was over 100 inside. The other ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2024-06-25 | Cold/Wind ChillAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland Crews responded to the report of a possible drowning at Lake Clementine Trail before 5:30 p.m on June 25th, 2024. A communications manager for California State Parks said three people had attempted to swim across the river and were swept downstream by the current. A 33-year-old man was found dead in the water, the El ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-06-30 | Cold/Wind ChillButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley Two men were swimming in the Feather River near Yuba City, CA in Sutter County and were pulled under the water by currents near a beach north of the 10th Street bridge. One man was pulled from the water but was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. The other man's body was found in the river on Friday July 3, ... | 2 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-01-04 | High WindButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley | 60 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $51M |
| 1997-09-27 | WildfireCountywide, Yuba County | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 2025-09-02 | WildfireAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland | 0 | 1 | $25M | |
| 2006-01-01 | FloodCountywide, Yuba County | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | |
| 1999-10-16 | WildfireMarysville, Yuba County | 0 | 6 | $6.2M | |
| 2024-07-02 | WildfireButte County and 5 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | |
| 1998-12-19 | Cold/Wind ChillButte County and 4 more · forecast zone Central Sacramento Valley | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | |
| 2019-09-16 | Thunderstorm WindMarysville, Yuba County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.9M |
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: December 17, 1992 (tornado, Yuba 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 Yuba 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 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 8 | 16 | 58 z |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 16 | 20 | 29 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 28 | 45 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 8 | 30 z |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 8 | 2 | 8 |
Winter storms in the 2020-26: 58 records against 16 in the decade before, 58 of them forecast-zone records. Heat in the 2020-26: 30 records against 8 in the decade before, 30 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 Yuba 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?
48% 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 69 · Feb 67 · Mar 37 · Apr 22 · May 22 · Jun 33 · Jul 34 · Aug 18 · Sep 20 · Oct 22 · Nov 24 · Dec 39 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Yuba County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Yuba County: 18 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (8) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-03-10 | EM-3592 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-01-09 | EM-3591 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2020-10-16 | DR-4569 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-09-09 | FM-5363 | Fire | Bear Fire |
| 2020-08-22 | DR-4558 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-03-22 | DR-4482 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3428 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-10-10 | DR-4344 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2017-10-09 | FM-5216 | Fire | Cascade Fire |
| 2017-04-01 | DR-4308 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2017-02-14 | EM-3381 | Dam/Levee Break | Potential Failure of the Emergency Spillway at Oroville Lake |
| 2017-02-14 | DR-4301 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2009-08-15 | FM-2825 | Fire | Yuba Fire |
| 2006-02-03 | DR-1628 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3248 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 |
| 1991-02-11 | DR-894 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1988-09-29 | DR-815 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 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 |
| 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 Yuba County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for Yuba County from 1996 to 2025, on 20 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Yuba County ranks 712th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.3 million on 320 claims filed in Yuba County; the most in one year was 129 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1986: 38 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 45 · 1996: 21 · 1997: 129 · 1998: 25 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 11 · 2006: 8 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 5 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 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 Yuba County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Yuba County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $46.3 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 | $7.9M | 65 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $7.1M | once in about 189 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $55K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $25M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $5.6M | once in about 31 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $476K | 7.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $169K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $22 | once in about 909 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Yuba 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 Yuba CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Yuba County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis