Indio
Population 94,269 (2025)
2 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Indio since 1950, 0 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on August 6, 2015.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 19502
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198413
- Major flood years since 1978, Riverside County6
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Riverside County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Riverside County.
Strongest tornado
EF1
August 6, 2015, 4.0 mile path
Tornadoes
About one every 38 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
August 6, 2015
EF1, 4.0 mile path
900 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, August 6, 2015
EF1, 4.0 mile path
11 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Aug 6, 2015 | EF1 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Sep 18, 1985 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
1 tropical cyclone passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.
Most recent
September 25, 1997
Nora, Tropical storm
86.8 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Nora | 1997 | 86.8 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
13 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
July 15, 2013
Mountain Fire, 28,176 acres
17.5 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
June 10, 2023
Geology Fire
1,064 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Geology | 2023 | 14.9 | 1,064 |
| Snow | 2020 | 24.7 | 6,461 |
| Cranston | 2018 | 23.1 | 13,084 |
| Mountain | 2013 | 17.5 | 28,176 |
| Whispering Pines | 2006 | 23.5 | 1,426 |
| Pushwalla | 2006 | 12.1 | 2,466 |
| Blaisdell | 2005 | 23.0 | 5,333 |
| Juniper Complex (Juniper) | 1999 | 20.2 | 1,825 |
| Juniper Complex (Fire #3) | 1999 | 16.6 | 13,471 |
| Covington | 1995 | 20.4 | 5,452 |
| Unnamed | 1988 | 23.5 | 1,521 |
| Paul | 1987 | 18.5 | 1,144 |
| Lost Horse | 1984 | 18.3 | 4,127 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2021: 21 days
Heavy smoke on 11 days in 2020, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
5.5 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
2 days
Medium or heavy smoke.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
1,636 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $21.2 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Riverside County, the county that contains Indio.
Most claims in one year
1980: 340 claims
$2.5 million paid.
2nd most
1979: 243 claims
$1.1 million paid.
3rd most
1983: 190 claims
$753,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 92260 | 276 | $1.3 million |
| 92530 | 200 | $2.0 million |
| 92264 | 125 | $802,000 |
| 92270 | 102 | $595,000 |
| 92262 | 100 | $348,000 |
| 92276 | 64 | $1.2 million |
| 92210 | 59 | $3.8 million |
| 92253 | 57 | $3.0 million |
| 92330 | 39 | $511,000 |
| 92240 | 33 | $104,000 |
| 92234 | 29 | $1.9 million |
| 92509 | 29 | $66,000 |
| 92583 | 28 | $73,000 |
| 92860 | 25 | $251,000 |
| 92878 | 24 | $616,000 |
| 92562 | 23 | $148,000 |
| 92533 | 20 | $336,000 |
| 19 | $106,000 | |
| 92211 | 18 | $1.5 million |
| 92531 | 18 | $187,000 |
| 92880 | 18 | $579,000 |
| 92882 | 16 | $8,577 |
| 92590 | 14 | $217,000 |
| 92241 | 13 | $31,000 |
| 92570 | 12 | $160,000 |
| 92544 | 12 | $42,000 |
| 92585 | 11 | $68,000 |
| 91752 | 11 | $33,000 |
| 92261 | 11 | $45,000 |
| 92507 | 9 | $25,000 |
| 92587 | 9 | $11,000 |
| 92545 | 9 | $5,834 |
| 92543 | 9 | $14,000 |
| 91720 | 9 | $44,000 |
| 92504 | 8 | $28,000 |
| 92555 | 8 | $67,000 |
| 92582 | 7 | $22,000 |
| 92506 | 7 | $11,000 |
| 92263 | 7 | $14,000 |
| 92223 | 7 | $8,027 |
| 92201 | 7 | $14,000 |
| 92274 | 7 | $24,000 |
| 92203 | 6 | $275,000 |
| 92567 | 6 | $8,188 |
| 92592 | 6 | $29,000 |
| 92324 | 6 | $48,000 |
| 92343 | 6 | $17,000 |
| 92881 | 6 | $39,000 |
| 92225 | 5 | $4,328 |
| 92254 | 5 | $26,000 |
| 92883 | 5 | $70,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood295
- Flood133
- Heavy Rain92
6 deaths recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 243 of 1,581 months since 1895 (15%); the longest spell lasted 22 months.
The drought index is for Riverside County, the county that contains Indio.
243
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
73
Months in extreme drought
15%
Share of all months, severe or worse
104
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
June 2022
−5.36, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
22 months
May 1989 to February 1991.
Latest month
September 2026
−4.25, extreme drought
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides
447 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 7.3 in 1992.
2,625
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
447
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
50
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
June 28, 1992
The 1992 Landers, California Earthquake; 34.3 miles away, -0.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 30, 2026
Magnitude 3.1
20 km ESE of Anza, CA; 20.5 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Volcanoes within 100 miles
| Salton Buttes | 51.1 | High |
- U.S. volcanoes within 100 miles, from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program. The threat category is the USGS 2018 National Volcanic Threat Assessment, which ranks volcanoes by how hazardous their past eruptions were and how many people and how much infrastructure lie near them. It is not a forecast of eruption.
USGS Volcano Hazards Program, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
Landslides mapped in Riverside County.
835
Landslides mapped, probable or better
29
With a recorded date
2
Source inventories
Mapped by CA GS (806), NASA (29).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
2,324 events in the National Weather Service record for Riverside County, 2,283 of them since 1996.
12
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
127
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
98
Winter weather events since 1996
343
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
September 2, 1960
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 3, 1973
101 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 35 | 1 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 37 | 5 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 19 | 0 |
| Debris flows | 31 | 0 |
| Avalanches | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Feb 14, 2019Flash Flood$70.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rainfall of 3 to 6 inches occurred in 12 hours and up to 1 inch per hour rates. This was the most significant flash flooding and debris flows since the December 6, 2018 event. The Holy fire scar flooded and sent debris flows through Temescal Canyon road and into homes and over roadways. Riverside County reported up to 70 million dollars in flood control structure damage in the 8 canyons affected.
- Jul 19, 2015Flash Flood$50.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Aided by lingering tropical moisture from former hurricane Dolores, intense thunderstorms with torrential rain developed near Desert Center during the afternoon hours on July 19th. Based on radar estimates, over 6 inches of rain fell over several hours along and just to the south of Interstate 10, just to the west of Desert Center. According to a trained weather spotter about 4 miles west of Desert Center, the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 collapsed where they crossed a heavily flowing wash, and one vehicle drove into the hole in the collapsed bridge. The driver became trapped by crushed asphalt and needed to be rescued. The injured driver was extracted from his truck and taken…
- Sep 9, 2024Wildfire, Santa Ana Mountains And Foothills$50.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Airport fire began at 120 pm PDT Monday September 9, 2024 in Trabuco Canyon, at a remote controlled airport facility, following an excessive heat wave where temperatures reached 100 to 112F. The wildfire burned the next 2 weeks across the Santa Ana mountains and SR 74 which was closed. The wildfire reached into western Riverside County, just west of Lake Elsinore. Total acreage was 23,500. Estimated cost of 95 million. There were a total of 160 structures destroyed in Riverside and Orange Counties with 89 of those structures in Orange County. 22 persons, 2 were civilians and the rest firefighters, suffered injuries. A Fire Management Assistance Grant was issued and approved by…
- Oct 21, 2007High Wind, San Bernardino And Riverside County Valleys - The Inland Empire$35.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A strong Santa Ana wind event caused widespread wind damage across the Inland Empire. Wind gusts in excess of 70 mph snapped power poles, toppled trees, overturned big rigs, and damaged roofs. In one of the hardest hit areas, the wind caused an estimated $2.6 million in damage at Mt. San Jacinto College. Many of the surrounding homes sustained minor to major roof damage. Elswhere, a portion of the 215 freeway between Devore and I-10 was shut down as a result of the high wind, overturned big rigs, and blowing dust.||Wind gusts of 50 mph or greater were observed for 19 consecutive hours at Beaumont and 14 hours (5 consecutive hours) at Ontario. A peak wind gust of 79 mph was…
- Feb 18, 2005Heavy Rain$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
An extended period of very wet weather dumped more than 3 to 6 inches of rain along the coast and inland valleys, more than 6 to 12 inches in the foothills and mountains, and more than 2 inches in the deserts. Some of the more impressive totals in inches are 6.80 at Fullerton Airport, 12.33 at Lake Arrowhead, and 18.79 at Lytle Creek. The San Diego River crested above flood stage at 11.46 feet, and the San Luis Rey River crested a half foot below flood stage at 15.89 feet. Lake Hodges, which was at 17% of capacity before the rains started in October, began to spill on the 21st. Mudslides again damaged roads and destroyed homes. The ground became too saturated to support some…
- Sep 10, 2024Wildfire, San Bernardino And Riverside County Valleys - The Inland Empire$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Airport fire began at 120 pm PDT Monday September 9, 2024 in Trabuco Canyon of Orange County (remote control airport facility) and then burned to the Santa Ana mountain crest and Santiago Peak and reached into western Riverside County on September 10th, 2024. The wildfire caused major damage in the small town of El Cariso village and prompted evacuations into Lake Elsinore. Riverside County reported 55 structures destroyed and 7 homes severe damaged. There were about 50 vehicles that were burned and damaged, which many were historical models and featured in movies. Over 150 structures were destroyed in including 119 homes due to the Airport wildfire between Orange and…
- Jan 7, 2005Heavy Rain$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A storm lasting 5 days dropped heavy rain across all of southern California. Flash flooding and mudslides caused millions of dollars of damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, parks, roads and bridges. Broken pipes and excessive runoff spilled millions of gallons of sewage into area lakes, rivers, and beaches. The strawberry crop sustained serious damaged and Inland Empire dairy farms were significantly impacted by the heavy rains as well. A state of emergency was declared for all 4 counties in the San Diego CWA following the storm. Storm total rainfall was 31.75 inches at Lake Arrowhead, 29.70 inches at Lytle Creek, 19.86 inches at Devore, and 15.09 inches at Palomar Mountain.
- Aug 6, 2015Tornado$18.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The damage was west of Highway 111 between 64th and 66th Avenues, paralleling Highway 86 towards the mountains, or approximately 3 1/2 miles. An emergency manager for the Imperial irrigation water district (IID) reported a total of 140 poles damaged, 30 of which were steel.
- Feb 14, 2019Flash Flood$15.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy Rainfall of 5 to 9 inches in 24 hours caused devastating flash floods on Highway 243 north of Idyllwild. The state highway remains closed as of late April 2019. This was north of the Cranston Burn Scar.
- Oct 26, 2006Wildfire, Riverside County Mountains$10.3 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Esperanza Fire was intentionally set during the early morning hours of the 26th at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains near Cabazon. Weather conditions during the onset of the fire were typical of a Santa Ana wind event with gusty east to northeast winds and relative humidity values of less than 10%. Red Flag conditions and abundant dry fuels resulted in the rapid spread of the fire westward through the Banning Pass and up the steep slopes of the San Jacinto Mountains. Observed rates of spread were 20 mph on level terrain and 40 mph where steep terrain and gusty winds aligned. The fire destroyed 34 homes and 20 outbuildings and resulted in an estimated $10.3 million in…
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Desert Resorts Regional Airport, 8 miles from the city centre, with records from 1950.
- All-time high
- 126°FJul 28, 1995
- All-time low
- 14°FDec 23, 1990
- Warmest night
- 95°FJul 31, 2020
- Coldest day
- 44°F2 times, most recently Feb 2, 1985
- Wettest day
- 3.23 inSep 10, 1976
- Hottest year
- 2018mean 76.1°F
- Coldest year
- 1975mean 70.0°F
- Wettest year
- 19768.67 in
- Driest year
- 20060.23 in
Station Desert Resorts Regional Airport (USW00003104), -118 ft elevation, 8.0 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1950 to October 26, 2026; 98.1% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
66 since 1953. The most recent: Bain Fire, May 20, 2026.
Declarations for Riverside County.
| May 20, 2026 | Fire | FM-5636-CA |
| Sep 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5538-CA |
| Jul 21, 2024 | Fire | FM-5515-CA |
| Nov 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750-CA |
| Jan 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591-CA |
| Sep 6, 2022 | Fire | FM-5451-CA |
| Oct 26, 2020 | Fire | FM-5381-CA |
| Aug 2, 2020 | Fire | FM-5325-CA |
| Mar 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482-CA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428-CA |
| Oct 31, 2019 | Fire | FM-5300-CA |
| Oct 30, 2019 | Fire | FM-5299-CA |
| May 1, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4431-CA |
| Aug 9, 2018 | Fire | FM-5268-CA |
| Jul 25, 2018 | Fire | FM-5260-CA |
| Dec 8, 2017 | Fire | EM-3396-CA |
| Oct 9, 2017 | Fire | FM-5223-CA |
| Sep 26, 2017 | Fire | FM-5213-CA |
| Mar 16, 2017 | Flood | DR-4305-CA |
| Aug 8, 2013 | Fire | FM-5041-CA |
| Aug 6, 2013 | Fire | FM-5040-CA |
| May 1, 2013 | Fire | FM-5023-CA |
| Jan 26, 2011 | Flood | DR-1952-CA |
| Mar 8, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1884-CA |
| Nov 18, 2008 | Fire | DR-1810-CA |
| Nov 15, 2008 | Fire | FM-2792-CA |
| Oct 24, 2007 | Fire | DR-1731-CA |
| Oct 23, 2007 | Fire | EM-3279-CA |
| Mar 13, 2007 | Freezing | DR-1689-CA |
| Oct 26, 2006 | Fire | FM-2678-CA |
| Sep 17, 2006 | Fire | FM-2676-CA |
| Feb 6, 2006 | Fire | FM-2630-CA |
| Oct 6, 2005 | Fire | FM-2584-CA |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3248-CA |
| Apr 14, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1585-CA |
| Feb 4, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1577-CA |
| Jul 18, 2004 | Fire | FM-2533-CA |
| Jul 14, 2004 | Fire | FM-2530-CA |
| May 4, 2004 | Fire | FM-2516-CA |
| May 4, 2004 | Fire | FM-2517-CA |
| Apr 26, 2004 | Fire | FM-2515-CA |
| Oct 27, 2003 | Fire | DR-1498-CA |
| Oct 26, 2003 | Fire | FM-2507-CA |
| Oct 21, 2003 | Fire | FM-2500-CA |
| Aug 19, 2003 | Fire | FM-2491-CA |
| Jul 25, 2003 | Fire | FM-2487-CA |
| Jul 3, 2003 | Fire | FM-2475-CA |
| Feb 9, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1203-CA |
| Mar 12, 1995 | Severe Storm | DR-1046-CA |
| Jan 10, 1995 | Severe Storm | DR-1044-CA |
| Oct 28, 1993 | Fire | DR-1005-CA |
| Feb 3, 1993 | Flood | DR-979-CA |
| Jul 2, 1992 | Earthquake | DR-947-CA |
| Feb 11, 1991 | Freezing | DR-894-CA |
| Jun 30, 1990 | Fire | DR-872-CA |
| Sep 22, 1983 | Flood | DR-690-CA |
| Jul 1, 1983 | Flood | DR-687-CA |
| Feb 9, 1983 | Coastal Storm | DR-677-CA |
| Nov 27, 1980 | Fire | DR-635-CA |
| Feb 21, 1980 | Flood | DR-615-CA |
| Jul 27, 1979 | Flood | DR-594-CA |
| Feb 15, 1978 | Flood | DR-547-CA |
| Sep 21, 1976 | Flood | DR-521-CA |
| Jan 26, 1969 | Flood | DR-253-CA |
| Jan 2, 1967 | Flood | DR-223-CA |
| Dec 7, 1965 | Flood | DR-211-CA |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00003104.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Volcanoes USGS Volcano Hazards Program, U.S. volcanoes and 2018 threat assessment.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.