Idaho heat

Every recorded heat record since 1996 · 32 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 70 heat records in Idaho from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 7.2 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the June 18, 2013 heat in Bingham County and 4 more: 1 death. Idaho ranks 45th of 51 states and territories by count and 44th of 50 per square mile.

Heat in Idaho, 1996 to 2026

Heat records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $1 million
  • $1 million or more
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
701996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
7.2average
Deaths
20 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
–as filed
Busiest year
202113 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are heat records common in Idaho?

Idaho averages about 7.2 heat records a year since 2000, 45th of 51 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2021 (13). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Idaho records 8.5 heat records since 1996, 44th of 50 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. New Jersey 2320
  2. 2. Delaware 1555
  3. 3. Maryland 1330
  4. 4. Oklahoma 685
  5. 5. Illinois 590
  6. 6. Mississippi 584
  7. 7. Louisiana 576
  8. 8. Missouri 547
  9. 9. Tennessee 540
  10. 10. Puerto Rico 537
  11. 44. Idaho 8.5

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Idaho have the most heat records?

Per square mile, Madison County leads Idaho: 7 days with a heat record since 1996, 14.9 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Idaho County has the most heat records (17 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

  1. Madison County 14.9 (9)
  2. Minidoka County 9.2 (7)
  3. Jefferson County 6.4 (7)
  4. Bannock County 6.3 (9)
  5. Power County 5.0 (13)
  6. Teton County 4.5 (2)
  7. Bingham County 4.3 (13)
  8. Fremont County 3.8 (7)
  9. Bonneville County 3.8 (9)
  10. Clearwater County 2.8 (11)
  11. Cassia County 2.7 (9)
  12. Blaine County 2.7 (11)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the heat season in Idaho?

70% of its heat records since 1996 fell in June and July. The busiest month is July (30 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 0 · Feb 0 · Mar 5 · Apr 0 · May 0 · Jun 19 · Jul 30 · Aug 7 · Sep 9 · Oct 0 · Nov 0 · Dec 0 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest heat records in Idaho?

Idaho: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2013-06-18 HeatBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain A 21 month old girl died in Ammon when she was accidentally left in an automoblie and suffered heat stroke. 1 0 –
2022-09-06 Excessive HeatCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley Multiple newspapers reported on an infant that died after being left in a hot car in New Plymouth, Idaho on September 6th. 1 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

Are heat records becoming more frequent in Idaho?

Idaho's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

Heat: Idaho and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeIdahoUnited StatesIdaho's share
1996-9904,3550
2000s189,1630.20%
2010s916,4450.05%
2020-264326,7960.16%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent heat records in Idaho

The 7 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-03-01 HeatBlaine County and Custer County · forecast zone Sawtooth-Stanley Basin 0 0 –
2026-03-01 HeatCuster County · forecast zone Challis-Pahsimeroi Valleys 0 0 –
2026-03-01 HeatBlaine County and 3 more · forecast zone Eastern Magic Valley 0 0 –
2026-03-01 HeatBonneville County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain 0 0 –
2026-03-01 HeatBannock County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Snake River Plain 0 0 –
2022-09-06 Excessive HeatCanyon County and 4 more · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley 1 0 –
2013-06-18 HeatBingham County and 4 more · forecast zone Upper Snake River Plain 1 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

Next