States › Nevada › Washoe County
Washoe County, Nevada
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.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 325 storm events in Washoe County, Nevada, led by other events.
That is 5.1 events per 100 square miles, below the Nevada figure of 8.0, and 6.6 per 10,000 residents against 27.9 statewide.
20 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 1 death and 10 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $23M and crop damage at $5K.
FEMA has designated the county in 53 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Hawk Fire (emergency, 1 Sep 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 754 claims since 1978, of which 566 were paid, totalling $31M (about $55K per paid claim). FEMA counts 1,357 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($274M a year across 18 hazards).
Compared with Nevada and the United States
| Measure | Washoe County | Nevada | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 325 | 8,761 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 8.0 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 6.6 | 27.9 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 20 | 332 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 1 | 990 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $23M | $1.1B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 0.6 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $55K | $37K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 10.5 | 3.8 | 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: 207 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 95 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2011 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 28 Nov 1996 | Heavy Snow | Winter | — | $10K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 13 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 59 mph | $5K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Jul 1973 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 May 1997 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Aug 1999 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Jan 2017 | Flood | Flood | — | $7.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2005 | Flood | Flood | — | $5.6M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2026 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2017 | Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2006 | Flood | Flood | — | $623K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2013 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $300K | — | — | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2026 | EM-3653 | Emergency | Fire | Hawk Fire | Public assistance |
| 22 Aug 2026 | FM-5674 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Hawk Fire | Public assistance |
| 11 Aug 2026 | FM-5668 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Stallion Fire | Public assistance |
| 11 Aug 2026 | FM-5667 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Fred Mountain Fire | Public assistance |
| 8 Aug 2026 | FM-5663 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Bug Fire | Public assistance |
| 2 Aug 2025 | FM-5602 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Peavine Fire | Public assistance |
| 10 Jun 2025 | FM-5586 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Marie Fire | Public assistance |
| 11 Nov 2024 | FM-5546 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Callahan Fire | Public assistance |
| 7 Sep 2024 | FM-5533 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Davis Fire | Public assistance |
| 12 Aug 2024 | FM-5530 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Gold Ranch Fire | Public assistance |
| 12 Jun 2024 | FM-5495 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Sullivan Fire | Public assistance |
| 11 Jun 2024 | FM-5494 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Trail Fire | Public assistance |
| 14 Aug 2022 | FM-5448 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Joy Lake Fire | Public assistance |
| 17 Nov 2020 | FM-5382 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Pinehaven Fire | Public assistance |
| 15 Aug 2020 | FM-5328 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Loyalton Fire | Public assistance |
| 3 Aug 2020 | FM-5326 | Fire management assistance | Fire | North Fire | Public assistance |
| 21 Jul 2020 | FM-5322 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Rockfarm Fire | Public assistance |
| 27 Jun 2020 | FM-5316 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Poeville Road Fire | Public assistance |
| 4 Apr 2020 | DR-4523 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3443 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 24 Aug 2019 | FM-5291 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Long Valley Fire | Public assistance |
| 13 Jul 2019 | FM-5283 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Jasper Fire | Public assistance |
| 14 Jul 2017 | FM-5190 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Cold Springs Fire | Public assistance |
| 27 Mar 2017 | DR-4307 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 17 Feb 2017 | DR-4303 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 14 Oct 2016 | FM-5156 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Little Valley Fire | Public assistance |
| 31 Jul 2016 | FM-5141 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Virginia Mountains Complex Fire | Public assistance |
| 29 Jul 2016 | FM-5138 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Rock Fire | Public assistance |
| 19 Jan 2012 | FM-2974 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Washoe Fire | Public assistance |
| 18 Nov 2011 | FM-2973 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Caughlin Fire | Public assistance |
| 17 Jul 2009 | FM-2822 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Red Rock Fire | Public assistance |
| 16 Jul 2007 | FM-2713 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Hawken Fire | Public assistance |
| 8 Jul 2007 | FM-2709 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Hungry Valley Fire | Public assistance |
| 6 Jul 2007 | FM-2704 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Red Rock Fire | Public assistance |
| 11 Nov 2006 | FM-2679 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Pinehaven Fire | Public assistance |
| 12 Aug 2006 | FM-2664 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Verdi Fire | Public assistance |
| 27 Jun 2006 | FM-2649 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Oregon Fire | Public assistance |
| 3 Feb 2006 | DR-1629 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2005 | EM-3243 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 23 Feb 2005 | EM-3204 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snow | Public assistance |
| 17 Feb 2005 | EM-3202 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Record And/Or Near Record Snow | Public assistance |
| 25 Aug 2004 | FM-2550 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Andrew Wildfire | Public assistance |
| 14 Jul 2004 | FM-2531 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Waterfall Fire | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2004 | FM-2524 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Verdi Fire Complex | Public assistance |
| 15 Jul 2003 | FM-2479 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Nv-Robb Wildfire-7-14-2003 | Public assistance |
| 11 Jul 2003 | FM-2476 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Nv-Red Rock Fire 7-11-03 | Public assistance |
| 9 Aug 2001 | FM-2371 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Nv - Antelope Fire - 08/09/2001 | Public assistance |
| 1 Aug 2000 | FM-2316 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Nv - Arrowcreek Fire | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2000 | FM-2312 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Reno Fire Complex | Public assistance |
| 3 Jul 1999 | FM-2265 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Mira Loma Fire | Public assistance |
| 3 Jan 1997 | DR-1153 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 28 Feb 1986 | DR-759 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Public assistance |
| 18 Jan 1965 | DR-187 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rains & Flooding | Individual assistance, 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 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | $68,307 | $68,307 |
| 2023 | 7 | 5 | $205,836 | $41,167 |
| 2022 | 3 | 2 | $37,223 | $18,611 |
| 2021 | 3 | 2 | $48,326 | $24,163 |
| 2019 | 6 | 3 | $58,712 | $19,571 |
| 2018 | 4 | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| 2017 | 116 | 79 | $2,779,963 | $35,189 |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2015 | 7 | 3 | $18,614 | $6,205 |
| 2014 | 2 | 1 | $920 | $920 |
| 2013 | 4 | 3 | $7,291 | $2,430 |
| 2012 | 11 | 2 | $4,000 | $2,000 |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2008 | 4 | 2 | $12,889 | $6,445 |
| 2007 | 2 | 1 | $14,229 | $14,229 |
| 2006 | 17 | 12 | $651,448 | $54,287 |
| 2005 | 130 | 117 | $9,566,331 | $81,764 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1998 | 2 | 1 | $750 | $750 |
| 1997 | 307 | 257 | $16,657,536 | $64,815 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | $159,710,506 | |
| Inland flooding | $80,026,477 | |
| Wildfire | $26,514,858 | |
| Winter weather | $2,077,019 | |
| Lightning | $1,428,422 | |
| Strong wind | $1,133,056 | |
| Avalanche | $1,019,766 | |
| Heat wave | $610,165 | |
| Ice storm | $490,472 | |
| Hail | $412,732 | |
| Drought | $169,449 | |
| Tornado | $146,015 | |
| Landslide | $64,569 | |
| Volcanic activity | $344 | |
| Cold wave | $0 |
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
- 89431 238
- 89502 186
- 89506 55
- 89521 50
- 89503 47
- 89511 38
- 89509 33
- 89501 14
- 89523 14
- 89704 13
- 89451 12
- 89519 11
- 89439 9
- 89436 6
- 89508 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 Washoe County, NV?
NCEI records 40 hail events in Washoe County since 1950, in 23 different years; that is about 0.5 recorded events a year. 3 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Washoe County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 13 tornadoes in Washoe County since 1950, 0 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Washoe County?
1 Sep 2026: Hawk Fire, a emergency declaration for fire. The county appears in 53 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Washoe County, and how much was paid?
754 NFIP claims since 1978, 566 of them paid, for $31M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Washoe County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Low" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Moderate" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Washoe County compare with the rest of Nevada?
5.1 recorded events per 100 square miles against 8.0 statewide, and 1.5 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 0.6. 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.