States › Washington › Spokane County
Spokane County, Washington
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 249 events for Spokane County, Washington, between 1950 and 2026; damaging wind account for the largest share.
That is 14.1 events per 100 square miles, in line with the Washington figure of 15.1, and 4.6 per 10,000 residents against 12.9 statewide.
1 event fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 0 deaths and 30 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $29M and crop damage at $161K.
FEMA has designated the county in 33 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Wildfires (emergency, 3 Aug 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 62 claims since 1978, of which 34 were paid, totalling $1.8M (about $53K per paid claim). FEMA counts 244 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" ($99M a year across 18 hazards).
Compared with Washington and the United States
| Measure | Spokane County | Washington | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 249 | 10,014 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 14.1 | 15.1 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 4.6 | 12.9 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 1 | 130 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 0 | 321 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $29M | $4.6B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 2.1 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $53K | $29K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 4.9 | 10.7 | 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: 168 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 64 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | 12 | County |
| 16 Sep 2003 | Hail | Hail | 0.25 in | $50K | — | — | 10 | County |
| 23 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 70 mph | $4.0M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 12 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 75 mph | $100K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 4 Apr 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | $80K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Aug 2004 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Mar 2017 | Flood | Flood | — | $8.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 60 mph | $4.8M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 64 mph | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 2014 | Flood | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2008 | Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Feb 2017 | Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1997 | Wildfire | Wildfire | — | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2014 | Flood | Flood | — | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 1999 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2017 | Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1997 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 47 mph | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2022 | Hail | Hail | 2.75 in | $200K | $150K | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1999 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug 2026 | EM-3650 | Emergency | Fire | Wildfires | Public assistance |
| 2 Aug 2026 | FM-5659 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Autumn Lane Fire | Public assistance |
| 2 Aug 2026 | FM-5658 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Fairview Fire | Public assistance |
| 1 Aug 2026 | FM-5656 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Old Trails Fire | Public assistance |
| 16 Jun 2026 | FM-5638 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Upriver Fire | Public assistance |
| 15 Feb 2024 | DR-4759 | Major disaster | Fire | Wildfires | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Aug 2023 | FM-5481 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Oregon Fire | Public assistance |
| 18 Aug 2023 | FM-5479 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Gray Fire | Public assistance |
| 6 Jul 2021 | FM-5395 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Andrus Fire | Public assistance |
| 8 Apr 2021 | DR-4593 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 8 Sep 2020 | FM-5355 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Babb Fire | Public assistance |
| 22 Mar 2020 | DR-4481 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3427 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 17 Jul 2018 | FM-5254 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Upriver Beacon Fire | Public assistance |
| 21 Apr 2017 | DR-4309 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 22 Aug 2016 | FM-5149 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Yale Fire | Public assistance |
| 22 Aug 2016 | FM-5148 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Wellesley Fire | Public assistance |
| 15 Jan 2016 | DR-4249 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 21 Aug 2015 | EM-3372 | Emergency | Fire | Wildfires | Public assistance |
| 19 Jul 2014 | FM-5063 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Watermelon Hill Fire | Public assistance |
| 2 Mar 2009 | DR-1825 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow | Public assistance |
| 11 Jul 2008 | FM-2783 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Spokane Valley Fire | Public assistance |
| 7 Sep 2005 | EM-3227 | Emergency | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 2 Apr 1997 | DR-1172 | Major disaster | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snow Melt, Flooding, Land & Mud Slides | Individual assistance |
| 17 Jan 1997 | DR-1159 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 Jan 1997 | DR-1152 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Public assistance |
| 9 Feb 1996 | DR-1100 | Major disaster | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Nov 1991 | DR-922 | Major disaster | Fire | Fires | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 26 Jul 1986 | DR-769 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Public assistance |
| 19 Aug 1982 | EM-3086 | Emergency | Flood | Threat Of Flooding At Spirit Lake | Public assistance |
| 21 May 1980 | DR-623 | Major disaster | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 31 Mar 1977 | EM-3037 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | Public assistance |
| 29 Dec 1964 | DR-185 | Major disaster | Flood | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 2022 | 3 | 1 | $22,917 | $22,917 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | $3,237 | $3,237 |
| 2017 | 6 | 4 | $180,312 | $45,078 |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | $8,636 | $8,636 |
| 2014 | 9 | 5 | $96,061 | $19,212 |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2012 | 4 | 3 | $37,684 | $12,561 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2006 | 4 | 2 | $259,457 | $129,728 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1997 | 15 | 12 | $185,074 | $15,423 |
| 1996 | 3 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 | $713 | $713 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1982 | 2 | 2 | $3,779 | $1,889 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 | $766 | $766 |
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 | $52,919,382 | |
| Cold wave | $20,075,429 | |
| Wildfire | $7,006,312 | |
| Heat wave | $6,954,314 | |
| Earthquake | $3,547,922 | |
| Ice storm | $2,717,408 | |
| Strong wind | $2,547,938 | |
| Tornado | $1,118,380 | |
| Avalanche | $656,238 | |
| Hail | $497,868 | |
| Winter weather | $400,129 | |
| Lightning | $353,406 | |
| Landslide | $2,576 | |
| Drought | $1,674 |
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
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 Spokane County, WA?
NCEI records 44 hail events in Spokane County since 1950, in 19 different years; that is about 0.6 recorded events a year. 3 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Spokane County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 16 tornadoes in Spokane County since 1950, 2 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Spokane County?
3 Aug 2026: Wildfires, a emergency declaration for fire. The county appears in 33 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Spokane County, and how much was paid?
62 NFIP claims since 1978, 34 of them paid, for $1.8M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Spokane 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 Low" for social vulnerability and "Relatively High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Spokane County compare with the rest of Washington?
14.1 recorded events per 100 square miles against 15.1 statewide, and 0.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 2.1. 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.