Oregon natural disasters

The state's storm and disaster record · population 4,229,068 · 36 counties and county equivalents

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 11,439 storm events in Oregon since 1950, 11,163 of them since 1996 when every event type began to be recorded, and the Storm Prediction Center counts 136 tornadoes in the state since 1950. The most frequent records are high wind and dust records (3,172). In NOAA's storm record since 1950, the deadliest event in Oregon is the June 26, 2021 excessive heat: 118 deaths and $109,000 in damage in 2025 dollars across 7 records. FEMA has made 174 declarations for Oregon since 1955, 171 for natural hazards; 44 were major disasters.

The record, 1950 to 2026

Storm events recorded in Oregon 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 $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
1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
1996: all 48 event types from 1996

Storm events recorded: 11,4391950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded: 410373 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $6.3Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes (SPC): 1361950 to 2025
FEMA declarations: 17444 major disasters

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); tornado count: NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 1950-2025; damage in 2025 dollars (BLS CPI-U). Search the record at NCEI.

What natural disasters happen in Oregon?

By NOAA's records, Oregon's most frequent hazards are high wind and dust records (3,172), winter storm records (2,768), extreme cold records (1,168); the deadliest are heat records (194 deaths). Each hazard is counted over the years NOAA has recorded it everywhere: tornadoes since 1950, hail and thunderstorm wind since 1955, everything else since 1996. Open a hazard for its years, months, counties and worst events.

Oregon: records by hazard to June 30, 2026
Hazard	Records	Last 10 years	Killed	Injured	Damage	Counties
High wind and dust storms	3,172	673	39	73	$4.1B	36 of 36
Winter storms	2,768	840	52	105	$282M	36 of 36
Extreme cold	1,168	355	9	1	$98K	33 of 36
Hail	856	117	1	11	$150M	32 of 36
Floods	846	216	24	9	$1.4B	36 of 36
Wildfires	742	273	16	47	$48M	32 of 36
Severe thunderstorm wind	592	117	4	17	$9.7M	36 of 36
Heavy rain	325	62	3	2	$12M	32 of 36
Heat	269	193	194	14	$109K	33 of 36
Rip currents and high surf	205	120	50	23	$13M	10 of 36
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds	140	40	8	36	$2.3M	33 of 36
Tornadoes	134	24	0	5	$238M	30 of 36
Lightning	120	5	2	14	$5.1M	26 of 36
Landslides and avalanches	91	17	8	16	$3.8M	31 of 36
Drought	7	0	0	0	$40M	2 of 36
Hurricanes and tropical storms	4	0	0	0	$836K	5 of 36

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: every record counted once in the state; "last 10 years" is 2017-2026 (2026 to June 30, 2026).

What were the deadliest disasters in Oregon?

The storms with the most deaths since 1950, from the National Weather Service's own entries. NOAA files one storm as several records when it crosses forecast zones and counties or changes type, and groups them under one episode; each row here is an episode, with its totals and the narrative of its deadliest record. Before 1996 tornado records carry no episode and stand alone. The narrative says what happened: some deaths the National Weather Service files under a weather type had another cause beside the weather.

Oregon: the 10 storm episodes with the most deaths
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2021-06-26	Excessive HeatClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area One storm episode: 7 records in 6 places; the totals are the episode's. A high pressure heat dome over the region led to stretch of extreme heat, shattering records from June 26 through June 29. All time max temperatures were broken by 8 to 10 degrees. Widespread fatalities occurred due to the heat (123 in total), as many were without air-conditioning, as well as an increase in the number ...	118	0	$109K
2022-07-25	Excessive HeatClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2022-07-25 to 2022-07-28; the totals are the episode's. A prolonged heatwave developed as strong high pressure formed over the Pacific Northwest. This event was most notable by it's duration. High temperatures around 100 degrees persisted for a week for much of the northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, except the coast. Heat indicies ranged from 95 to 105 degrees ...	16	0	–
2024-07-05	HeatMultnomah County and Clackamas County · forecast zone Inner Portland Metro One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places, 2024-07-05 to 2024-07-09; the totals are the episode's. Strong high pressure aloft setup over the West Coast, centered over portions of California. This system was nearly stationary which brought a prolonged stretch of hot temperatures to northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. Temperatures ranged from 95 to 105 degrees during this time. There were 12 suspected heat ...	12	0	–
2024-01-12	Winter StormClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places, 2024-01-12 to 2024-01-13; the totals are the episode's. A very strong arctic front moved across Western Washington and Oregon on the 12th and 13th dropping temperatures below freezing. With cold air in the lowlands, all precipitation fell as freezing rain for areas along the coast, valleys in the Coast Range, and Willamette Valley northward into southwest Washington. This ...	9	16	$45M
1999-09-25	High WindFoothills Of The Blue Mountains · forecast zone Foothills Of The Blue Mountains One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A strong Pacific cold front associated with a deep low pressure system north of Washington State brought strong winds over Oregon and Washington during the morning and early afternoon. These high winds raised clouds of dust over the Columbia basin, reducing visibilities to less than a quarter mile over Umatilla and ...	8	33	$1.8M
2020-09-07	Riverside Fire and Holiday Farm Fire · WildfireClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades Foothills One storm episode: 6 records in 4 places, 2020-09-07 to 2020-09-08; the totals are the episode's. After a period of upper level ridging brought a return to above normal temperatures in early September, very strong easterly downslope and offshore winds off the Cascades and Coastal Ranges occurred. Winds increased rapidly during the afternoon and evening of September 7 with the passage of an unseasonably strong ...	7	38	–
1996-02-06	FloodBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Coast Range Of W Oregon Runoff from heavy rains and melting mountain snow caused major floods upon many northern Oregon rivers. The first rivers reached flood stage on the morning of February 6th while the heaviest rain was still falling. flooding was measured on twenty one rivers in northwestern Oregon. Six rivers set all time high river ...	7	0	$753M
2024-01-16	Ice StormClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. The cold air mass remained in place from the initial arctic air mass with freezing temperatures continuing. Bouts of precipitation brought more freezing rain, snow as well.	6	0	–
2021-08-11	Excessive HeatClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area One storm episode: 4 records in 3 places, 2021-08-11 to 2021-08-14; the totals are the episode's. Hot weather began to develop August 9, peaking August 11-12, but temperatures continued above normal into the weekend. Peak afternoon temperatures of 100 to 105 degrees drove people to seek relief in or near bodies of water. Heat caused slowdowns on the MAX light rail (Portland metro area) systems, and some businesses ...	6	0	–
1996-11-17	FloodClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone Douglas T Nw & E One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A moist southwest flow aloft produced moderate to heavy rain and strong winds over southwest Oregon between Nov 17 and Nov 21. Storm total rainfall ranged from 8 to 12 inches on the coast with local amounts near 20 inches...3 to 7 inches of rainfall fell inland. Flooding was extensive in Coos, Curry and Douglas ...	5	6	$80M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed in this state, summed over the records of each episode (EPISODE_ID); a forecast-zone record counts the zone's deaths once. A tornado's whole-track deaths (SPC), on the state's tornado page, can be higher when the track crossed a state line. Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest records in Oregon

Oregon: the 8 records with the most damage since 1993, 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Character	Killed	Damage
2020-09-07	High WindClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades Foothills	61 kt wind	5	$2.3B
2020-09-07	High WindClackamas County and 3 more · forecast zone North Oregon Cascades	57 kt wind	0	$1.1B
1996-02-06	FloodBenton County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Coast Range Of W Oregon		7	$753M
2020-09-07	Strong WindLane County · forecast zone Cascades In Lane County	35 kt wind	0	$228M
2020-09-08	High WindLane County and Lincoln County · forecast zone Central Oregon Coast	53 kt wind	0	$137M
1997-01-01	FloodBenton County and 2 more · forecast zone Rogue Basin		0	$130M
2017-01-18	Heavy SnowMalheur County · forecast zone Lower Treasure Valley		0	$120M
2020-09-07	High WindClackamas County and 2 more · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area	45 kt wind	0	$114M

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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 11, 1968 (tornado, Wallowa County).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. BLS consumer price index.

Which counties in Oregon have the most records?

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950 attributed to each county (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).

Every county in Oregon

Billion-dollar disasters in Oregon

NOAA counted 41 weather or climate disasters from 1980-2024 that cost at least $1 billion (adjusted for inflation) and affected Oregon, led by drought (16). The most recent: Northwest Winter Storm (2024); Southern/Midwestern Drought and Heatwave (2023); Central and Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave (2022).

Oregon: billion-dollar disasters by type, 1980-2024
Type	Events	Total cost (NOAA's range)
Drought	16	$2.0B-$5.0B
Wildfire	16	$5.0B-$10.0B
Flooding	3	$1.0B-$2.0B
Winter Storm	3	$1.0B-$2.0B
Severe Storm	2	$100M-$250M
Freeze	1	$100M-$250M

Every one of the 41, newest first

Northwest Winter Storm2024
Southern/Midwestern Drought and Heatwave2023
Central and Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave2022
Western Wildfires2022
Western/Central Drought and Heat Wave2022
Western Wildfires2021
Northwest, Central, Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave2021
Western Drought and Heat Wave2021
Western Wildfires - California, Oregon, Washington Firestorms2020
Western/Central Drought and Heat Wave2020
Western Wildfires, California Firestorm2018
Southwest/Southern Plains Drought2018
Western Wildfires, California Firestorm2017
Western/Southeast Wildfires2016
Western and Alaskan Wildfires2015
Western Drought2015
Western Drought2014
Western/Plains Drought/Heat Wave2013
Western Wildfires2012
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona Wildfires2011
Southwest/Great Plains Drought2009
U.S. Wildfires2008
Western, Central and Northeast Severe Weather2008
U.S. Drought2008
Western/Eastern Drought/Heat Wave2007
Western Wildfires2007
Numerous Wildfires2006
Midwest Drought2005
California Wildfires2003
Western/Central Drought/Heat Wave2003
Western Fire Season2002
U.S. Drought2002
Western/Central/Southeast Drought/Heat Wave2000
West Coast Flooding1997
Pacific Northwest Severe Flooding1996
Western Fire Season1994
U.S. Drought1991
Western Fire Season1990
Western Severe Storms and Flooding1986
Freeze/Cold Wave1983
Western Storms and Flooding1982

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters, state summary for Oregon, 1980-2024 (NCEI's last update; the product is archived). A disaster that affected several states counts in each. NCEI billion-dollar disasters.

Federal disaster declarations in Oregon

FEMA has made 174 declarations for Oregon since 1955: 44 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 126 fire management assistance declarations. The most common incident types are fire (129), severe storm (20), flood (16).

1950s 3
1960s 3
1970s 13
1980s 9
1990s 18
2000s 31
2010s 37
2020s 60

The 15 most recent declarations in Oregon
Declared	Number	Type	Title	Areas named
2026-08-14	FM-5670	Fire	Fielder Mountain Fire	2
2026-08-09	FM-5666	Fire	Wrights Spring Fire	1
2026-08-09	FM-5664	Fire	Hagen Fire	2
2026-07-31	FM-5655	Fire	Rowe Creek Fire Complex	2
2026-07-31	FM-5654	Fire	Fox Fire	1
2026-07-25	FM-5648	Fire	Grasshopper Fire	1
2026-07-23	FM-5647	Fire	Akawa Butte Fire	3
2026-07-16	FM-5645	Fire	Lower Dry Creek Fire	1
2026-04-07	DR-4907	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides	11
2025-08-23	FM-5610	Fire	Flat Fire	2
2025-07-22	DR-4881	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides	4
2025-07-13	FM-5599	Fire	Highland Fire	1
2025-06-18	FM-5590	Fire	Upper Applegate Road Fire	1
2025-06-17	FM-5589	Fire	Alder Springs Fire	1
2025-06-11	FM-5587	Fire	Rowena Fire	1

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.

Flood insurance claims in Oregon

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $110 million on 5,987 claims in 36 Oregon counties. Claims count insured losses only.

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.

FEMA's modeled risk across Oregon's counties

How FEMA's National Risk Index rates Oregon's counties overall: a model of expected future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of events.

Relatively High 6
Relatively Moderate 12
Relatively Low 6
Very Low 12

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.