California Storm & Severe Weather History
Since 1996, California has logged 40,984 severe-weather events — about 1,322 a year — with 1,148 direct deaths, 4,201 injuries and $29.8B in reported property damage.
By event type
High Wind7,14942 d$404.7M
Flood4,23145 d$2.4B
Heavy Snow3,77217 d$5.4M
Flash Flood2,78568 d$1.4B
Dense Fog2,44124 d$23.6M
Strong Wind2,39136 d$40.1M
Heavy Rain2,04622 d$391.9M
Drought1,870—$50K
Winter Storm1,66014 d$23.0M
Wildfire1,592281 d$24.0B
Frost/Freeze1,503—$9.4M
Excessive Heat1,48167 d$7.5M
Winter Weather1,47724 d$1.0M
Heat1,200143 d$200K
Thunderstorm Wind1,11118 d$55.1M
Hail8301 d$24.9M
Events by year
19962026
Notable events (775)
Events with deaths, major damage, or a strong tornado — deadliest first.
WildfireDecember 4, 2017
Ventura County Mountains · 1 killed ·
WildfireDecember 4, 2017
Ventura County Interior Valleys · 1 killed ·
WildfireDecember 4, 2017
Ventura County Coast · 1 killed ·
Rip CurrentOctober 6, 2017
Orange County Coastal · 1 killed ·
Winter WeatherSeptember 21, 2017
West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada · 1 killed ·
WildfireJuly 17, 2017
Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland · 1 killed ·
Excessive HeatJune 24, 2017
Coachella Valley · 1 killed ·
Excessive HeatJune 18, 2017
Southern Sacramento Valley · 1 killed ·
Excessive HeatJune 18, 2017
Southern Sacramento Valley · 1 killed ·
Strong WindMarch 5, 2017
S Sierra Mtns · 1 killed ·
FloodFebruary 17, 2017
Glenn · 1 killed ·
High SurfJanuary 21, 2017
San Luis Obispo County Central Coast · 1 killed ·
High SurfJanuary 20, 2017
San Diego County Coastal Areas · 1 killed · 3 injured ·
Heavy SnowJanuary 9, 2017
Greater Lake Tahoe Area · 1 killed ·
High WindJanuary 7, 2017
East Bay Interior Valleys · 1 killed ·
AvalancheDecember 10, 2016
Greater Lake Tahoe Area · 1 killed ·
Strong WindDecember 3, 2016
Riverside County Eastern Deserts · 1 killed · 1 injured ·
HeatSeptember 25, 2016
San Diego County Valleys · 1 killed ·
HeatAugust 27, 2016
Death Valley National Park · 1 killed ·
Rip CurrentJune 18, 2016
San Diego County Coastal Areas · 1 killed ·
Strong WindJune 10, 2016
Greater Lake Tahoe Area · 1 killed ·
HeatJune 6, 2016
Death Valley National Park · 1 killed ·
Rip CurrentApril 19, 2016
Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles · 1 killed ·
SneakerwaveFebruary 24, 2016
Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles · 1 killed · 4 injured ·
AvalancheJanuary 14, 2016
Greater Lake Tahoe Area · 1 killed ·
AvalancheNovember 10, 2015
Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County · 1 killed ·
Flash FloodSeptember 8, 2015
San Bernardino · 1 killed ·
WildfireJuly 30, 2015
Modoc County · 1 killed ·
LightningJuly 18, 2015
Kern · 1 killed ·
SneakerwaveFebruary 28, 2015
Southern Monterey Bay And Big Sur Coast · 1 killed · 1 injured ·
High SurfFebruary 8, 2015
Orange County Coastal · 1 killed ·
Strong WindDecember 30, 2014
Catalina Island · 1 killed ·
SneakerwaveNovember 11, 2014
Southern Monterey Bay And Big Sur Coast · 1 killed ·
SneakerwaveOctober 26, 2014
Southern Monterey Bay And Big Sur Coast · 1 killed · 1 injured ·
SneakerwaveOctober 12, 2014
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore · 1 killed · 1 injured ·
SneakerwaveOctober 12, 2014
San Francisco Peninsula Coast · 1 killed · 2 injured ·
Flash FloodAugust 3, 2014
San Bernardino · 1 killed ·
LightningJuly 27, 2014
Los Angeles · 1 killed · 8 injured ·
WildfireJuly 11, 2014
Mountains Southwest Shasta County To Northern Lake County · 1 killed · 21 injured ·
High SurfJuly 6, 2014
Orange County Coastal Areas · 1 killed ·
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Counts are every logged event since 1996; the "notable" list is filtered to events with fatalities, major damage or a strong tornado. Damage is the reporting office's estimate. A record of past weather is not a forecast. See About the Data.