Storm hazard · NOAA Storm Events Database
Sneakerwave in the United States
National statistics for sneakerwave events from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025): how often they occur, where they hit hardest, and the human and property toll.
- 54
- Events recorded
- 20
- Fatalities
- $100.0K
- Property damage
- 3
- States affected
The verdict
NOAA ranks sneakerwave #49 of 54 by event count, yet its combined-damage rank is higher at #43. The <0.1% event share therefore understates its relative loss position in the 2015-2025 catalog.
- #49 of 54
- NOAA hazard types, by event count
- <0.1%
- share of all NOAA storm events, 2015-2025
- 54
- sneakerwave events, 3 states affected
Ranking reflects NOAA Storm Events Database event counts, not fatalities, injuries, or damage severity; a rare hazard type can still be individually catastrophic.
How dangerous are Sneakerwave events in the U.S.?
The loss ranking is the stronger warning against reading frequency alone. Sneakerwave is #49 of 54 by event count but rises to #43 for combined property and crop damage. Its losses make up <0.1% of the catalog total, while its fatalities rank #31 and represent 0.2% of recorded deaths. Fewer events can still produce an outsized financial record.
Annual totals swing noticeably from year to year. The peak year on record was 2024, logging 15 events and $0 in property damage in a single calendar year. The most recent year in the dataset is 2025 with 15 events recorded. Across the full 11-year window, annual event counts reflect seasonal climate cycles and, for some years, longer climate-driven shifts in frequency.
NOAA records too few sneakerwave events (54 events) to express a stable per-event fatality rate; a single incident would swing it by a wide margin. The cumulative record stands at 20 fatalities and 11 injuries, and recorded damage averages $1.9K per event. Read those as counts, not as a rate.
Geographic exposure skews toward a small cluster of frequently-hit states. The three states absorbing the largest share of events are Oregon (41 events, 8 fatalities), California (12 events, 12 fatalities), Texas (1 events, 0 fatalities), a mix of underlying hazard climatology and how many people live in the exposed corridor.
The NOAA file shows a substantial human toll without entering PlainHazard's highest band: 20 fatalities and 11 injuries across 54 events. The high band covers hazard types with 20-99 cumulative fatalities in this 2015-2025 record. It compares catalog totals only; exposure and consequences vary widely from one event and location to another.
NOAA entries are reports filed by local National Weather Service offices. Counts therefore reflect both observed weather and reporting practice; they do not measure unreported events, household exposure, or the probability of a future event at one address.
Sneakerwave by State
Download all 16 state-year rows as CSV . Source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| # | State | Events | Fatalities | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon OR | 41 | 8 | $0 |
| 2 | California CA | 12 | 12 | $0 |
| 3 | Texas TX | 1 | 0 | $100.0K |
Sneakerwave by Year
Recorded sneakerwave events averaged 2 per year across 2015-2019 versus 7 per year across 2020-2025: a 250% higher recorded rate in the later window. Reporting intensity varies by forecast office, so window-to-window comparisons describe the record, not a verified physical trend.
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | 4 | $0 |
| 2024 | 15 | 3 | $0 |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 | $0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | $0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | $0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 2 | $0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 3 | $0 |
| 2017 | 3 | 3 | $100.0K |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 | $0 |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | $0 |
What this record shows for Sneakerwave
Sneakerwave ranks #49 of 54 NOAA hazard types by event count; Oregon leads the geography table with 41 events, and 2024 is the peak year at 15 events.
- Oregon carries the largest share of recorded sneakerwave events in this catalog. Oregon profile
- Compare how often this hazard appears against other NOAA event types nationally. All hazards
- Sneakerwave events concentrate unevenly - the five most-affected states already account for a large share of the national sneakerwave record in this extract. Hazard risk by region
NOAA Storm Events counts reflect filed reports, not a forecast or household-level probability. For current threats follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
Further reading for Sneakerwave
Hazard risk by region
Sneakerwave events concentrate unevenly - the five most-affected states already account for a large share of the national sneakerwave record in this extract.
More PlainHazard guides
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not hazard-specific advice).
- Hazard risk by region - how exposure varies across U.S. regions.
- Climate change and disasters - national severity and frequency context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states record the most sneakerwave events?
How much damage do sneakerwave events cause?
What year had the most sneakerwave events?
How dangerous are sneakerwave events?
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.