Washington County, Idaho severe weather history spans 54 recorded events between 1956 and 2023. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 40.7% of all recorded events. It ranks #3,031 nationally and #35 in Idaho.
54
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$2.2M
Property damage
The record
What the Washington County, Idaho severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Washington County, Idaho severe weather history averages 0.8 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 1990s, with 16 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 10 events fall before 1990 and 44 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The costliest is flood, with $2.0M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Washington County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 22 | 0 | $30K | 69 | 1956–2023 |
| Hail | 10 | 0 | $0 | 1.75 | 1966–2012 |
| Flood | 10 | 0 | $2.0M | 0 | 1999–2019 |
| Flash Flood | 4 | 0 | $140K | 0 | 1998–2011 |
| Heavy Rain | 4 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2023–2023 |
| Tornado | 3 | 0 | $75K | F1 | 1990–2001 |
| Debris Flow | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1997–1997 |
Decade by decade
Washington County, Idaho severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
3 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 3 touched down inside it and 0 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-05-17 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 5.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1990-07-09 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2001-09-13 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Washington County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | WEISER | 0 | 3 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
An ice jam released and caused flooding downstream along the Weiser River near the town of Weiser. Some homes near the river were flooded and widespread flooding of agricultural land occurred. A few residents living near the river were evacuated from their homes and one resident had to be rescued via helicopter. Flood waters inundated a portion of U.S. Highway 95 just south of Weiser.
On the evening of June 27th, thunderstorm winds toppled numerous trees and caused structural damage to several outbuildings and to six houses in Weiser, Idaho. A National Weather Service storm survey estimated wind speeds between 60 and 90 mph.
Moderate flooding occured on the Weiser River around Weiser, Idaho with flooding of houses and buildings. The flooding also closed U.S Highway 95 and county roads around the area. The river crested at 12.1 feet which is about 2.5 feet above flood stage.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
11,142
Population (ACS)
$278K
Median home value
9
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Apr 21, 2017 | Flood | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Jul 27, 2010 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA | EM |
| Jan 4, 1997 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUD AND LANDSLIDES | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Washington County, Idaho?
54 events are on record between 1956 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths and $2.2M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Washington County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 22 recorded events — 40.7% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Washington County?
3 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 3 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Washington County?
9 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Washington County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Washington County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washington County as very low risk, placing it in the 30 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Washington County, Idaho severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Valley County 71
- Twin Falls County 148
- Teton County 71
- Shoshone County 83
- Power County 196
- Payette County 51
Cite this page
“Washington County, Idaho.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/idaho/washington-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.