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.
SneakerwaveJune 30, 2013
Northern Monterey Bay · 2 killed · 2 injured ·
SneakerwaveDecember 28, 2012
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore · 2 killed ·
Excessive HeatAugust 22, 2011
Joshua Tree National Park · 2 killed ·
AvalancheApril 26, 2011
Eastern Sierra Slopes Of Inyo County · 2 killed ·
High SurfJuly 3, 2010
Southern Monterey Bay And Big Sur Coast · 2 killed · 5 injured ·
Rip CurrentMarch 16, 2008
Monterey Bay/N Salinas Valley/Hollister Valley/Carmel Valley · 2 killed ·
High SurfApril 10, 2007
Orange County Coastal Areas · 2 killed ·
High SurfApril 10, 2007
Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles · 2 killed ·
High SurfOctober 22, 2006
Redwood Coast · 2 killed ·
HeatJuly 21, 2006
Apple And Yucca Valleys · 2 killed ·
Winter WeatherMarch 11, 2006
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore · 2 killed · 15 injured ·
LightningJuly 28, 2005
Tulare · 2 killed · 7 injured ·
Flash FloodMarch 22, 2005
Santa Barbara · 2 killed ·
Winter StormOctober 19, 2004
S Sierra Mtns · 2 killed ·
High SurfJanuary 11, 2004
Mendocino Coast · 2 killed ·
High SurfJanuary 2, 2004
Redwood Coast · 2 killed ·
HeatJuly 20, 2003
San Bernardino T Sw & X Se · 2 killed ·
Rip CurrentNovember 11, 2002
Santa Barbara · 2 killed ·
HeatJuly 9, 2002
E Central S.J. Valley · 2 killed ·
High SurfAugust 15, 2000
X W San Luis Obispo · 2 killed · 5 injured ·
Rip CurrentJanuary 3, 1999
Ventura · 2 killed · 4 injured ·
Flash FloodFebruary 23, 1998
Santa Barbara · 2 killed ·
FloodFebruary 3, 1998
X W Sierra/Ne Yuba/W Nevada/W Placer T X W/W El Dorado/W Amador T X W/C Calaveras/Sw Tuolumne T X Sw · 2 killed ·
Cold/Wind ChillFebruary 2, 1998
San Diego County Mountains · 2 killed · 12 injured ·
Heavy RainJanuary 18, 1998
Placer · 2 killed ·
FloodJanuary 16, 1998
Tulare · 2 killed ·
HeatAugust 2, 1997
Riverside County Valley/The Inland Empire · 2 killed ·
High WindDecember 14, 1996
San Bernardino And Riverside County Valleys - The Inland Empire · 2 killed ·
Heavy RainNovember 19, 1996
Shasta · 2 killed ·
FloodJanuary 1, 2006
Solano · 1 killed · 1 injured · $15.0M damage
Debris FlowApril 1, 2006
North Bay Interior Valleys · 1 killed · $14.4M damage
WildfireJuly 9, 2006
P Sw San Bernardino · 1 killed · 17 injured · $11.7M damage
High WindJanuary 4, 2008
Central Sacramento Valley · 1 killed · 1 injured · $7.1M damage
Flash FloodDecember 21, 2025
Shasta · 1 killed · $7.0M damage
High WindFebruary 17, 2017
San Diego County Coastal Areas · 1 killed · $7.0M damage
FloodDecember 31, 2005
Central Siskiyou County · 1 killed · $7.0M damage
Debris FlowSeptember 12, 2022
San Bernardino · 1 killed · $6.0M damage
Flash FloodJuly 11, 1999
San Bernardino · 1 killed · 5 injured · $6.0M damage
WildfireSeptember 23, 2012
San Diego County Mountains · 1 killed · $3.7M damage
TsunamiMarch 11, 2011
Redwood Coast · 1 killed · $3.0M damage
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.