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Yavapai County, Arizona
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
The NCEI record lists 944 events for Yavapai County, Arizona, between 1950 and 2026; floods and flash floods account for the largest share.
That is 11.6 events per 100 square miles, below the Arizona figure of 15.7, and 39.0 per 10,000 residents against 24.6 statewide.
34 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 10 deaths and 7 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $35M and crop damage at $30K.
FEMA has designated the county in 26 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Crooks Fire (fire management assistance, 19 Apr 2022).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 470 claims since 1978, of which 329 were paid, totalling $6.3M (about $19K per paid claim). FEMA counts 1,396 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Moderate" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Moderate" ($108M a year across 18 hazards).
Compared with Arizona and the United States
| Measure | Yavapai County | Arizona | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 944 | 17,892 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 11.6 | 15.7 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 39.0 | 24.6 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 34 | 793 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 10 | 3,147 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $35M | $4.3B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.7 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $19K | $18K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 9.2 | 3.7 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 661 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 249 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jan 2018 | Heavy Rain | Other | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | County |
| 13 Aug 2004 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2005 | Hail | Hail | 0.50 in | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2007 | Heavy Rain | Other | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2010 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 18 Nov 2025 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1999 | Hail | Hail | 2.75 in | $18M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 17 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Aug 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Jul 2017 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $7.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2009 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $2.6M | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2018 | Hail | Hail | 1.00 in | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Feb 2019 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2010 | Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr 2022 | FM-5435 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Crooks Fire | Public assistance |
| 27 May 2021 | FM-5387 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Spur Fire | Public assistance |
| 4 Apr 2020 | DR-4524 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3442 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 11 May 2018 | FM-5238 | Fire management assistance | Fire | 89 East Fire | Public assistance |
| 25 Jun 2017 | FM-5186 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Goodwin Fire | Public assistance |
| 8 Jun 2016 | FM-5125 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Tenderfoot Fire | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2013 | FM-5032 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Yarnell Hill Fire | Public assistance |
| 19 Jun 2013 | FM-5029 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Doce Fire | Public assistance |
| 18 Mar 2010 | DR-1888 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 29 Jun 2008 | FM-2779 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Lane 2 Fire | Public assistance |
| 2 Jun 2006 | FM-2640 | Fire management assistance | Fire | La Barranca Fire | Public assistance |
| 12 Sep 2005 | EM-3241 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 23 Jun 2005 | FM-2562 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Az-Humbug Fire 06-23--2005 | Public assistance |
| 22 Jun 2005 | FM-2561 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Cave Creek Fire Complex | Public assistance |
| 14 Apr 2005 | DR-1586 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 17 Feb 2005 | DR-1581 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 28 Jun 2004 | FM-2523 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Willow Fire | Public assistance |
| 15 May 2002 | FM-2406 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Az - Indian Fire - 5/15/2002 | Public assistance |
| 27 Oct 2000 | DR-1347 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 19 Jan 1993 | DR-977 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 6 Dec 1990 | DR-884 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Public assistance |
| 5 Oct 1983 | DR-691 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Feb 1980 | DR-614 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 4 Mar 1978 | DR-551 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 15 Apr 1977 | EM-3038 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 3 | $66,743 | $22,248 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | $19,853 | $9,927 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | $66,981 | $33,491 |
| 2023 | 22 | 12 | $447,079 | $37,257 |
| 2022 | 8 | 3 | $9,397 | $3,132 |
| 2021 | 34 | 23 | $622,595 | $27,069 |
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | $58,523 | $58,523 |
| 2019 | 28 | 22 | $1,220,852 | $55,493 |
| 2018 | 12 | 9 | $142,134 | $15,793 |
| 2017 | 13 | 9 | $226,357 | $25,151 |
| 2016 | 4 | 3 | $118,247 | $39,416 |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | $3,791 | $3,791 |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 | $91,938 | $30,646 |
| 2013 | 8 | 6 | $67,905 | $11,318 |
| 2012 | 4 | 1 | $3,215 | $3,215 |
| 2011 | 2 | 1 | $128 | $128 |
| 2010 | 15 | 8 | $149,378 | $18,672 |
| 2009 | 4 | 3 | $83,959 | $27,986 |
| 2007 | 13 | 10 | $216,377 | $21,638 |
| 2006 | 3 | 3 | $30,632 | $10,211 |
| 2005 | 20 | 14 | $245,537 | $17,538 |
| 2004 | 45 | 33 | $775,727 | $23,507 |
| 2003 | 2 | 1 | $4,846 | $4,846 |
| 2002 | 8 | 4 | $38,628 | $9,657 |
| 2000 | 6 | 2 | $1,539 | $769 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $69,673,046 | |
| Wildfire | $28,707,460 | |
| Lightning | $3,171,253 | |
| Earthquake | $2,184,081 | |
| Heat wave | $1,523,232 | |
| Hail | $1,277,715 | |
| Winter weather | $461,262 | |
| Tornado | $451,087 | |
| Strong wind | $323,458 | |
| Drought | $17,333 | |
| Landslide | $4,523 | |
| Avalanche | $560 | |
| Volcanic activity | $16 | |
| Cold wave | $5 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
No HURDAT2 track at tropical-storm strength passes within 100 miles of the county's centre point (through the 2025 season).
ZIP codes with flood claims
- 86322 84
- 86325 81
- 86326 68
- 86335 48
- 86301 26
- 86305 24
- 86342 16
- 86303 15
- 86314 11
- 86315 10
- 85362 9
- 86327 8
- 86333 8
- 86323 7
- 86332 7
- 85324 5
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Yavapai County, AZ?
NCEI records 183 hail events in Yavapai County since 1950, in 37 different years; that is about 2.4 recorded events a year. 24 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Yavapai County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 29 tornadoes in Yavapai County since 1950, 1 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Yavapai County?
19 Apr 2022: Crooks Fire, a fire management assistance declaration for fire. The county appears in 26 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Yavapai County, and how much was paid?
470 NFIP claims since 1978, 329 of them paid, for $6.3M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Yavapai County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Moderate" for overall risk, "Relatively Moderate" for expected annual loss, "Relatively High" for social vulnerability and "Very Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Yavapai County compare with the rest of Arizona?
11.6 recorded events per 100 square miles against 15.7 statewide, and 1.9 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 0.7. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.