Idaho sees a moderate amount of severe weather each year, with 222 confirmed tornadoes, 1,088 hailstorm events and 2,312 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, and averages 3 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Most of Idaho’s severe weather comes from short-lived high-elevation thunderstorms producing hail and damaging wind rather than long-track tornadoes. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Idaho from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
—Significant events
—Tornadoes
—Hailstorms ≥ 2″
—Wind ≥ 65 kt
—Direct deaths
Loading NOAA Storm Events…
0%
Loading severe weather events…
Idaho Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
222 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
10 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
1,088 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
2,312 damaging-wind events on record
3 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
June is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 22.1% of Idaho tornadoes
99 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When Idaho Severe Weather Happens
Idaho tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 60% of all Idaho tornadoes, with June alone responsible for roughly 22.1%.
June: 49 tornadoes (22.1%) — peak month
May: 48 tornadoes (21.6%)
July: 28 tornadoes (12.6%)
April: 26 tornadoes (11.7%)
August: 26 tornadoes (11.7%)
September: 16 tornadoes (7.2%)
Top 10 Idaho Counties by Tornado Frequency
Tornado activity in Idaho is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.
County
Tornadoes since 1950
Bingham
20
Jefferson
17
Power
17
Ada
13
Twin Falls
12
Cassia
10
Butte
8
Bannock
6
Blaine
6
Bonneville
6
Idaho Tornado Strength Distribution
Most Idaho tornadoes are weak: roughly 95% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 4.8% of rated tornadoes in the state.
F0/EF0 (weak): 137 tornadoes — 65.6% of rated events
F1/EF1: 62 tornadoes — 29.7% of rated events
F2/EF2 (strong): 10 tornadoes — 4.8% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in Idaho
Largest hailstone: 3.00 inches in diameter, observed in Lewis County on July 14, 1975. The three largest hailstones on record in Idaho measured 3.00″, 2.75″, 2.75″.
Highest measured wind gust: 82 knots (94 mph) recorded in Nez Perce County near Wana on August 29, 2017. Most damaging-wind events in Idaho are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How Idaho Compares Nationally
Idaho ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, with severe-weather activity well below the central-US average.
Idaho hail total: 1,088 hail events on record since 1950.
Idaho wind total: 2,312 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does Idaho have on average per year?
Idaho averages 3 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
Where in Idaho are tornadoes most common?
The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Bingham County with 20 events. The three most active counties overall are Bingham, Jefferson, Power.
How does Idaho compare to its neighbors?
Idaho shares a severe-weather climate with Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Washington. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Idaho’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare Idaho to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Idaho tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Idaho’s storm history to its land neighbors:
I'm Daniel O'Donohue, the voice and creator behind The MapScaping Podcast ( A podcast for the geospatial community ). With a professional background as a geospatial specialist, I've spent years harnessing the power of spatial to unravel the complexities of our world, one layer at a time.
