Crestview

Population 31,193 (2025)

36 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Crestview since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1926 (Category 3).

Hazard fingerprint for Crestview Tornado: 97th percentile. Tropical: 91th percentile. Wildfire: 75th percentile. Flood: 63th percentile. Hail & wind: 32th percentile. Heat: 25th percentile. Cold: 0th percentile. Winter: 6th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 1950129
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger75
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198496
  • Major flood years since 1978, Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa County.

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

129

2 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

36

14 at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

96

Largest: Unnamed, 2006

Details

Flood insurance claims

8,226

Okaloosa County

$283 million paid since 1978

Details

Strongest tornado

F3

December 25, 1964, 12.8 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

Cat. 3

Hurricane (unnamed), 1926, 46.2 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

43

Most recent: Hurricane Isaias, 2026

Details

Record high

105°F

July 14, 1980

Details

Tornadoes

About 2 tornados a year since 1950, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

December 25, 1964

F3, 12.8 mile path

67 yards wide.

Deadliest

December 10, 1967

1 killed, F2

50 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Saturday, May 10, 2025

EF1, 1.9 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 1 1 1960s: 15 15 1970s: 27 27 1980s: 21 21 1990s: 20 20 2000s: 22 22 2010s: 11 11 2020s: 12 12 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 8 F: 5 M: 14 A: 9 M: 16 J: 11 J: 10 A: 9 S: 11 O: 17 17 N: 6 D: 13 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
May 10, 2025EF11.912000
May 10, 2024EF03.12500
May 10, 2024EFU2.53000
May 10, 2024EFU3.23000
May 10, 2024EFU0.73000
May 10, 2024EF224.01,00000
Oct 29, 2022EF00.12000
Mar 18, 2022EF11.55000
Jan 2, 2022EF00.18500
Apr 10, 2021EF115.810000
Apr 23, 2020EF12.75000
Apr 23, 2020EF00.45000
Mar 3, 2019EF011.940000
Nov 5, 2018EF00.01000
Apr 22, 2018EF11.25020
Jun 21, 2017EF02.57500
Nov 30, 2016EF00.817500
Mar 3, 2016EF10.12500
Jan 22, 2016EF03.05000
Nov 18, 2015EF00.15000
Nov 18, 2015EF00.02500
Jul 5, 2013EF00.34000
Sep 4, 2011EF00.84000
Dec 2, 2009EF00.05000
Mar 27, 2009EF00.25000
Sep 1, 2008EF00.23000
Sep 1, 2008EF00.12000
Mar 1, 2007EF00.53000
Jan 13, 2006F04.050130
Aug 29, 2005F01.03000
Aug 29, 2005F01.03000
Aug 29, 2005F03.03000
Aug 28, 2005F00.53000
Jul 6, 2005F01.03000
Jul 6, 2005F01.03000
Jul 6, 2005F00.53000
Apr 25, 2003F00.27500
Apr 25, 2003F00.12000
Apr 25, 2003F00.12000
Dec 31, 2002F10.54000
Dec 24, 2002F00.33000
Sep 25, 2002F00.12000
Sep 25, 2002F00.23000
Jul 24, 2001F00.25000
Aug 18, 2000F00.55000
Mar 3, 1999F07.03000
Jan 2, 1999F00.1000
Sep 28, 1998F04.05000
Sep 27, 1998F11.05000
Jun 19, 1998F01.03000
Jan 15, 1997F10.27300
Dec 1, 1996F20.47500
Oct 27, 1995F00.12000
Oct 27, 1995F00.12300
Oct 4, 1995F00.12300
Oct 4, 1995F00.12300
Oct 4, 1995F00.12300
Oct 4, 1995F00.12300
Oct 4, 1995F21.817031
Oct 3, 1995F00.12300
Aug 3, 1995F00.12300
Aug 3, 1995F00.12300
Apr 23, 1995F00.15000
Jun 1, 1994F00.11000
May 3, 1994F00.11000
Jun 8, 1989F00.21000
Jun 7, 1989F00.21000
May 1, 1989F22.010000
Mar 21, 1989F00.55000
Mar 21, 1989F00.22300
Feb 21, 1989F10.55000
Sep 10, 1988F01.03000
Aug 2, 1987F10.53000
Oct 28, 1985F10.13000
Oct 28, 1985F012.01000
Oct 28, 1985F12.01050
Jun 13, 1984F10.27000
Dec 11, 1983F10.53000
Feb 1, 1983F20.33010
Feb 1, 1983F10.42000
Jul 4, 1982F00.51000
Jul 9, 1981F00.52000
Feb 10, 1981F11.55000
Oct 28, 1980F10.55000
Jun 26, 1980F10.12000
Jun 19, 1980F00.13000
Sep 21, 1979F00.13000
Sep 12, 1979F00.13000
Jul 24, 1979F10.23000
Jul 11, 1979F10.11000
Jun 25, 1978F00.11000
May 13, 1978F00.11300
May 3, 1978F00.11000
Dec 25, 1977F00.11000
Oct 25, 1977F00.11300
Jan 6, 1977F00.11000
Dec 25, 1975F15.63300
Nov 12, 1975F126.73300
Sep 23, 1975F10.13000
May 15, 1975F10.55000
Apr 14, 1975F00.12300
Mar 13, 1975F118.588000
Dec 7, 1974F25.210000
Feb 15, 1974F11.01710
Oct 31, 1973F00.32030
May 26, 1973F2105.42041
Oct 27, 1972F00.32000
Oct 27, 1972F20.32000
Mar 8, 1972F10.210030
May 19, 1971F00.31700
May 12, 1971F22.010000
May 8, 1971F22.020000
Aug 20, 1970F00.81000
Jun 21, 1969F00.11000
May 18, 1969F10.11000
Dec 1, 1968F230.41700
Mar 22, 1968F10.11000
Dec 10, 1967F30.11000
Dec 10, 1967F26.81,000501
Jun 10, 1965F20.11000
Dec 25, 1964F312.86740
Dec 24, 1964F021.030000
Jul 4, 1962F25.62700
Mar 31, 1962F10.11020
Jan 5, 1962F22.5100301
Jan 5, 1962F22.510000
Nov 22, 1961F10.11010
Mar 30, 1960F20.11000
Mar 6, 1958F28.21000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. 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

36 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 14 at hurricane strength, 3 as major hurricanes.

Strongest within 50 miles

September 20, 1926

Unnamed storm, Category 3

46.2 miles at closest approach, winds near 120 mph.

Most recent

August 17, 2021

Fred, Tropical storm

70.1 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 0 60s: 1 70s: 2 80s: 5 5 90s: 2 00s: 5 10s: 4 20s: 1 30s: 2 40s: 1 50s: 3 60s: 2 70s: 1 80s: 0 90s: 3 00s: 3 10s: 0 20s: 1 50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s
Storms within 50 miles, by decade. Records before about 1900 miss storms that never reached land or ships.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Fred202170.1Tropical storm49Tropical storm
Sally202043.8Tropical storm64Category 2
Nestor201977.2Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Michael201879.8Category 4155Category 5
Claudette200911.6Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Dennis200538.2Category 3113Category 4
Arlene200557.1Tropical storm48Tropical storm
Ivan200472.2Category 297Category 5
Barry20016.7Tropical storm62Tropical storm
Earl199867.2Category 183Category 2
Opal199521.8Category 192Category 4
Erin199547.9Category 191Category 2
Beryl199478.0Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Alberto199416.3Tropical storm55Tropical storm
Kate198587.5Category 298Category 3
Juan198550.2Tropical storm55Category 1
Elena198580.8Category 3123Category 3
Eloise197521.2Category 3119Category 3
Agnes197273.5Category 175Category 1
Unnamed196913.6Subtropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed19655.8Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Hilda196412.8Post-tropical58Category 4
Irene195950.9Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Debbie195742.0Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Flossy195626.3Category 192Category 1
Florence195328.7Category 181Category 3
Baker195078.5Category 186Category 2
Unnamed194818.6Tropical storm39Tropical storm
Unnamed194799.2Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed193910.7Tropical storm67Category 1
Unnamed193968.2Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed193785.6Tropical storm43Tropical storm
Unnamed193614.4Category 192Category 2
Unnamed193293.5Category 186Category 1
Unnamed192964.4Category 181Category 4
Unnamed192879.3Tropical storm41Category 1
Unnamed192646.2Category 3120Category 4
Unnamed192499.7Category 183Category 1
Unnamed191932.6Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed191717.2Category 2108Category 4
Unnamed191645.9Category 2101Category 2
Unnamed191572.0Tropical storm72Category 2
Unnamed19147.5Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed191159.4Category 181Category 1
Unnamed190767.1Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed190748.2Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed190657.9Tropical storm45Tropical storm
Unnamed190422.7Tropical storm39Tropical storm
Unnamed190343.3Tropical storm72Category 1
Unnamed190225.8Tropical storm46Category 2
Unnamed190118.4Tropical storm55Category 1
Unnamed189957.7Tropical storm46Category 2
Unnamed189812.5Tropical storm52Category 1
Unnamed189620.2Category 298Category 2
Unnamed189469.1Category 3121Category 3
Unnamed189466.9Tropical storm54Tropical storm
Unnamed189373.9Tropical storm69Category 4
Unnamed188916.8Tropical storm62Category 2
Unnamed188739.2Tropical storm44Category 1
Unnamed188710.7Category 178Category 2
Unnamed188568.6Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed188559.0Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed18827.7Category 2109Category 3
Unnamed188015.7Tropical storm69Category 2
Unnamed187912.1Tropical storm55Tropical storm
Unnamed187888.0Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed187782.5Category 3115Category 3
Unnamed187722.5Category 178Category 1
Unnamed187564.3Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed187086.2Category 181Category 1
Unnamed186875.9Tropical storm69Category 1
Unnamed186798.0Category 192Category 2
Unnamed186039.3Tropical storm55Category 3
Unnamed185958.9Tropical storm55Category 1
Unnamed185655.4Category 2104Category 3
Unnamed185285.7Tropical storm66Category 3
Unnamed185168.9Category 3115Category 3
  1. 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

96 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

January 31, 2006

Unnamed Fire, 1,514 acres

22.4 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

October 18, 2022

Unnamed Fire

642 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 1990: 1,2261993: 6731995: 1,9351996: 16,1501997: 7421998: 14,4001999: 11,7002000: 10,8682001: 6,2752004: 2,5752005: 3,1922006: 40,2042007: 5,9242009: 3,6512010: 7472011: 6992012: 7212013: 6,4772014: 4,4302016: 3,3192017: 3,2982018: 3,5302019: 4,2552020: 2,6002021: 1,0962022: 9,924 160,611 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Unnamed202221.8642
Thursday Wf202222.8616
713 Wf202217.61,869
Wolf Creek202215.11,116
Panther Wf202221.73,817
Spring Day202221.31,864
Blue Barrel Wf202123.21,096
Midnight202023.0711
Party202021.7603
Wildcat202021.8753
Lee Cook Road (46)202010.0533
Indigo Turkey20197.6800
Name201920.13,455
Storm Trooper Wf201821.71,233
Unnamed201819.41,425
Midnight201821.8872
Hidden201715.2655
Unnamed201722.72,643
High Trac201622.5848
Jupiter20167.91,536
Thunderbolt201616.7935
Alaqua201421.62,734
Bob Pitts Road201412.91,696
Charlie Foster Road Fire201314.5924
Low Key201319.65,553
Unnamed201216.8721
Bear Creek201118.7699
Bear Creek201018.4747
Unnamed20094.61,805
Unnamed200919.91,846
Unnamed200720.4533
Unnamed200716.32,760
Unnamed200718.02,631
Unnamed200611.6508
Unnamed200612.9639
Unnamed200616.71,956
Unnamed200616.1568
Unnamed200615.0941
Unnamed200623.89,704
Unnamed200613.91,266
Unnamed200617.1868
Unnamed200622.41,514
Unnamed200619.710,548
Unnamed200614.53,179
Unnamed200622.4649
Unnamed200621.02,236
Unnamed200612.23,841
Unnamed200612.6662
Unnamed200625.01,125
Unnamed200511.41,993
Unnamed200511.6693
Unnamed200511.4506
Unnamed200412.11,144
Unnamed200419.4614
Unnamed200424.5817
Unnamed200121.81,879
Unnamed200122.01,661
Unnamed200118.72,735
Unnamed200019.6639
Unnamed200021.11,226
Unnamed200017.8519
Unnamed200024.11,688
Unnamed200019.73,424
Unnamed200017.03,372
Unnamed199923.6682
Unnamed199917.62,775
Unnamed199919.8691
Unnamed199917.61,524
Unnamed199911.02,400
Unnamed199912.33,628
Unnamed199812.4624
Unnamed199819.62,274
Unnamed199822.54,102
Unnamed199824.42,210
Unnamed199821.51,346
Unnamed199822.72,244
Unnamed199817.21,600
Unnamed199718.1742
Unnamed199620.11,543
Unnamed199610.5984
Unnamed199620.7608
Unnamed199611.8522
Unnamed199621.8987
Unnamed199612.22,218
Unnamed199620.41,763
Unnamed199619.41,116
Unnamed199623.31,049
Unnamed199610.4897
Unnamed199620.11,027
Unnamed199618.21,251
Unnamed199622.21,479
Unnamed199620.1706
Unnamed199514.31,250
Unnamed199520.6685
Unnamed199324.1673
Unnamed199024.61,226
  1. 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

2023: 39 days

Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

11.0 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

11 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 23 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 10 2012: 5 2013: 2 2014: 1 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 3 2018: 4 2019: 5 2020: 3 2021: 9 2022: 24 2023: 39 39 2024: 12 2025: 11 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. 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

8,226 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $283 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Okaloosa County, the county that contains Crestview.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 8 1979: 30 1982: 6 1985: 21 1988: 7 1990: 9 1991: 11 1994: 99 1995: 2,949 2,949 1996: 5 1998: 568 2000: 7 2001: 10 2002: 23 2003: 9 2004: 2,542 2005: 975 2006: 5 2007: 38 2008: 12 2009: 27 2011: 6 2012: 7 2013: 21 2014: 334 2015: 21 2016: 9 2017: 18 2018: 22 2020: 338 2021: 23 2024: 25 2026: 6 1978199019982004200920152021
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1995: 2,949 claims

$116 million paid.

2nd most

2004: 2,542 claims

$115 million paid.

3rd most

2005: 975 claims

$22.8 million paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
325413,253$92.4 million
325482,124$95.3 million
32569806$42.0 million
32547616$15.5 million
32579518$16.2 million
32578516$6.7 million
3258089$1.3 million
3255086$6.8 million
3253946$1.7 million
3253645$1.1 million
3254040$1.4 million
3254918$330,000
3251417$25,000
325318$86,000
324567$1.4 million
7$6,130
325647$89,000
325425$49,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood65
  • Flood5
  • Coastal Flood2

1 death 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.

River crests

River gauges in Okaloosa County, the county that contains Crestview.

Most severe crest

September 29, 1998

Blackwater River (AL) near Baker, 25.68 ft

14.68 feet above the 11.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

June 20, 2026

Blackwater River (AL) near Baker, 16.29 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Sep 29, 1998Blackwater River (AL) near Baker25.68+14.68Major
Jun 4, 1990Blackwater River (AL) near Baker25.61+14.61Major
Jan 1, 1929Yellow River (AL) at Milligan26.20+14.20Major
Oct 6, 1995Blackwater River (AL) near Baker25.00+14.00Major
Mar 17, 1990Blackwater River (AL) near Baker24.99+13.99Major
Sep 17, 2020Blackwater River (AL) near Baker24.55+13.55Major
Sep 30, 1998Shoal River near Crestview21.40+13.40Major
Oct 1, 1998Yellow River (AL) at Milligan23.92+11.92Major
Sep 17, 2020Shoal River near Crestview16.61+8.61Major
Mar 10, 1998Yellow River (AL) at Milligan20.32+8.32Major
Mar 30, 2009Shoal River near Crestview15.78+7.78Major
Aug 1, 1975Shoal River near Crestview15.58+7.58Major
Mar 18, 1990Yellow River (AL) at Milligan19.00+7.00Major
Mar 9, 1998Blackwater River (AL) near Baker23.05+12.05Moderate
Sep 17, 1988Blackwater River (AL) near Baker22.97+11.97Moderate
Jul 31, 1975Blackwater River (AL) near Baker22.97+11.97Moderate
Mar 29, 2009Blackwater River (AL) near Baker21.66+10.66Moderate
Dec 4, 1953Blackwater River (AL) near Baker20.80+9.80Moderate
Nov 9, 1989Blackwater River (AL) near Baker20.00+9.00Moderate
Sep 24, 1975Blackwater River (AL) near Baker19.45+8.45Moderate
Jan 26, 1978Blackwater River (AL) near Baker19.44+8.44Moderate
Jun 9, 1989Blackwater River (AL) near Baker19.38+8.38Moderate
Jul 8, 1994Blackwater River (AL) near Baker18.30+7.30Moderate
Jul 8, 1994Shoal River near Crestview14.82+6.82Moderate
Feb 19, 1962Blackwater River (AL) near Baker17.54+6.54Moderate

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Blackwater River (AL) near Baker11.025.68 ftSep 29, 19985
Cinco Bayou (In MHHW)2.5——0
East Pass Destin (in MHHW)3.0——0
Eldredge Park (In MHHW)3.0——0
Fort Walton Beach (In MHHW)2.0——0
Old Pass Lagoon at Destin (in MHHW)3.0——0
Shoal River near Crestview8.021.40 ftSep 30, 19984
Yellow River (AL) at Milligan12.026.20 ftJan 1, 19294
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 95 of 1,581 months since 1895 (6%); the longest spell lasted 12 months.

The drought index is for Okaloosa County, the county that contains Crestview.

95

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

14

Months in extreme drought

6%

Share of all months, severe or worse

4

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

March 1955

−5.43, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

12 months

August 1954 to July 1955.

Latest month

September 2026

−0.79, incipient dry spell

Last severe month: April 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 3 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 3 1910: 0 1911: 1 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 1 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 2 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 3 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 2 1931: 1 1932: 1 1933: 2 1934: 5 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 3 1939: 4 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 5 1955: 9 9 1956: 8 1957: 3 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 3 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 2 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 4 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 5 2007: 8 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 5 2012: 4 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 5 2016: 1 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. 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

8 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1997; none reached magnitude 4.

5

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

0

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

September 3, 2020

Magnitude 3.8

1 km W of Pollard, Alabama; 40.7 miles away, 2.5 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

September 3, 2020

Magnitude 3.8

1 km W of Pollard, Alabama; 40.7 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 2 2 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 2 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Severe weather and other events

665 events in the National Weather Service record for Okaloosa County, 496 of them since 1996.

27

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

0

Hail, 2 inches or larger

223

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

8

Winter weather events since 1996

4

Heat events since 1996

0

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

May 23, 1966

1.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

August 20, 1970

108 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Rip currents252121Aug 31, 2024
High surf and sneaker waves210Oct 9, 2018
Storm surge and tide600Sep 15, 2020
Lightning46549Jul 10, 2017

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 25, 1998Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Okaloosa$40.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    See the narrative on Hurricane Georges under Alabama, Southwest, September 25-29, 1998. Preliminary estimates of agricultural damage in Northwest Florida were twenty to twenty-five million in losses to cotton, soybeans, peanuts and chickens due to the storm.

  2. Sep 15, 2020Tropical Storm, Okaloosa Coastal$17.3 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, AL at 5am on Wednesday, September 16th as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Sally produced widespread wind, storm surge, and freshwater flooding across coastal AL and the western Florida Panhandle. Flood and wind damage also extended well inland into inland southwest Alabama and south central Alabama. Sally was an extremely slow moving hurricane, which prolonged and exacerbated the local impacts. The storm was moving at less than 5 mph at the time of landfall, resulting in a long duration of tropical storm and hurricane force winds, storm surge, and torrential rainfall. ||Storm surge and resultant…

  3. Jun 6, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$4.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the county between 1230 am and 130 am. Trees and power lines were blown down throughout the county. Most of the damage occurred in the south part of the county. Hurlburt field reported a gust of 70 mph and Eglin reported a gust of 59 mph. On Eglin Air Force Base the wind damaged three aircraft. One of the aircraft was picked up and blown across a barrier. This aircraft suffered the most damage. A spokesman estimated wind gusts of 92 mph near where the aircraft were damaged. Some minor structural damage occurred in Valparaiso and Niceville. No injuries were reported.

  4. Jan 13, 2006Tornado$2.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A weak tornado touched down along State Highway 4 in Baker near the Post Office. The tornado tracked northeast and tore part of the roof off the Baker School. The winds from the storm funneled into part of the school and peeled sections of the roof off. Kids inside quickly got underneath their desks. Water from the rain fell into the classrooms and caused part of the ceiling to collapse. Thirteen kids suffered minor injuries. At least four classrooms at the school were damaged. The weak tornado continued tracking northeast and damaged several more homes before lifting back into the clouds near Old River Road.

  5. Feb 21, 2003Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A line of severe thunderstorms moved across the coastal portions of the county during the early morning hours. The most intense part of the line of storms was along the coast in the vicinity of Okaloosa Island in the Fort Walton Beach area. Very strong straight line winds associated with a "bow echo" along the line storms produced extensive wind damage to the west wing of the Blue Horizon Beach Resort . The strong blast of wind tore the roof off of the three story west wing of the condos, and deposited it in the adjacent parking lot and onto Santa Rosa Blvd., the highway located just north of the condominium complex. Some of the roof debris also hit and damaged the Sugar Isle…

  6. Apr 29, 2014Flash Flood$1.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Eight to foruteen inches of rain fell across Okaloosa County during the evening of April 29th and the early morning of April 30th. The rain resulted in widespread flash flooding across the county. 737 homes were damaged by flood waters. Numerous roads were impassable during the event, with several damaged or compromised by the fast moving flood waters.

  7. Mar 8, 1998Flash Flood$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A slow moving complex weather system moved through southwest Alabama and northwest Florida on March 8, bringing with it copious amounts of rainfall. The Mobile WSR-88D estimated rainfall totals of six to ten inches across the area on March 8. Residents in north Santa Rosa and north Okaloosa counties estimated up to twelve inches of rain fell. The heavy rains began during the early morning hours in Escambia county and moved slowly east across Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties during the mid morning hours. The heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding across the area. The flooding began in Escambia county and then spread east across Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Most secondary…

  8. Jul 2, 2009Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A thunderstorm wind gust of 70 mph destroyed two general aviation aircraft and damaged 10 others at the Destin Airport. Trees were also downed in the area.

  9. Sep 24, 2002Tropical Storm, Coastal Okaloosa$879,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the second time during the month the area was threatened by a tropical storm. Tropical Storm Isidore threatened the area Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We were put under a Tropical Storm Warning at 900 AM CST on September 24. The Tropical Storm Warning was dropped at 300 PM CST on September 26 as the remains of Isidore moved across eastern Mississippi. Isidore moved ashore over the Southeast Louisiana Coast between 200 and 300 AM CST on September 26. Although the center of Isidore did not move over our area, the strongest winds and heaviest rains were east of the center with most of the damage across Southwest Alabama and Northwest Florida.Some of the winds recorded across…

  10. Dec 31, 2002Tornado$600,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado moved onshore near Florosa and caused damage as it moved northeast through a small subdivision. Two older manufactured homes were destroyed near the water as the tornado moved inland. The tornado moved across U. S. Highway 98 before dissipating. Several other homes suffered structural damage mostly to their roofs and siding. Some vehicles were also damaged by flying debris. No major injuries were reported.

  1. 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 Crestview Faa/ap, 4.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.

All-time high
105°FJul 14, 1980
All-time low
8°FJan 13, 1981
Warmest night
81°FJul 13, 1980
Coldest day
25°FDec 23, 1989
Wettest day
11.44 inJun 9, 1989
Snowiest day
0.1 inFeb 2, 1994
Hottest year
1949mean 69.3°F
Coldest year
1976mean 64.2°F
Wettest year
199183.99 in
Driest year
200638.54 in
Snowiest season
0.1 in1993-94
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Crestview Faa/ap 32°F 63° 38° 4.1 Jan 67° 41° 4.0 Feb 74° 47° 4.3 Mar 80° 52° 4.9 Apr 87° 60° 4.3 May 91° 69° 5.8 Jun 93° 71° 7.4 Jul 92° 71° 5.8 Aug 89° 67° 4.9 Sep 81° 55° 3.6 Oct 72° 45° 3.4 Nov 65° 41° 4.7 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 9 1977: 30 1978: 24 1979: 19 1980: 41 1981: 36 1982: 21 1983: 24 1990: 59 1991: 34 1992: 21 1993: 51 1994: 14 1995: 44 1996: 39 1998: 47 1999: 16 2001: 5 2002: 12 2003: 0 2004: 14 2005: 18 2006: 52 2007: 32 2008: 20 2009: 26 2010: 53 2011: 68 2012: 37 2013: 19 2014: 39 2015: 54 2016: 46 2017: 22 2018: 34 2019: 78 78 2020: 27 2021: 22 2022: 32 2023: 57 2024: 54 2025: 27 19761992200420142024
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 33.9.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 0.0 in 1977: 0.0 in 1978: 0.0 in 1979: 0.0 in 1980: 0.0 in 1981: 0.0 in 1982: 0.0 in 1989: 0.0 in 1991: 0.0 in 1992: 0.0 in 1993: 0.1 in 0.1 1994: 0.0 in 1995: 0.0 in 1996: 0.0 in 2024: 0.0 in 2025: 0.0 in 19761993
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

19 of 20 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Crestview Faa/ap (USW00013884), 154 ft elevation, 4.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 24, 2026; 98.7% 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

43 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Isaias, October 27, 2026.

Declarations for Okaloosa County.

Federal disaster declarations
Oct 27, 2026HurricaneHurricane IsaiasMajor disasterDR-4955-FL
Oct 9, 2026Tropical StormHurricane IsaiasEmergencyEM-3655-FL
Sep 28, 2024HurricaneHurricane HeleneMajor disasterDR-4828-FL
Sep 24, 2024Tropical StormTropical Storm HeleneEmergencyEM-3615-FL
Aug 10, 2024Tropical StormHurricane DebbyMajor disasterDR-4806-FL
Aug 3, 2024Tropical StormTropical Storm DebbyEmergencyEM-3605-FL
Sep 29, 2022HurricaneHurricane IanMajor disasterDR-4673-FL
Sep 24, 2022HurricaneTropical Storm IanEmergencyEM-3584-FL
Aug 16, 2021HurricaneTropical Storm FredEmergencyEM-3562-FL
Sep 23, 2020HurricaneHurricane SallyMajor disasterDR-4564-FL
Sep 15, 2020HurricaneHurricane SallyEmergencyEM-3546-FL
Mar 25, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4486-FL
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3432-FL
Aug 30, 2019HurricaneHurricane DorianEmergencyEM-3419-FL
Oct 11, 2018HurricaneHurricane MichaelMajor disasterDR-4399-FL
Oct 9, 2018HurricaneHurricane MichaelEmergencyEM-3405-FL
Sep 10, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaMajor disasterDR-4337-FL
Sep 5, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaEmergencyEM-3385-FL
May 6, 2014Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4177-FL
Oct 18, 2012HurricaneHurricane IsaacMajor disasterDR-4084-FL
Apr 21, 2009Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-1831-FL
Oct 27, 2008HurricaneHurricane GustavMajor disasterDR-1806-FL
Aug 21, 2008Severe StormTropical Storm FayEmergencyEM-3288-FL
Sep 5, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3220-FL
Aug 28, 2005HurricaneHurricane KatrinaMajor disasterDR-1602-FL
Jul 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane DennisMajor disasterDR-1595-FL
Sep 16, 2004HurricaneHurricane IvanMajor disasterDR-1551-FL
Sep 4, 2004HurricaneHurricane FrancesMajor disasterDR-1545-FL
Aug 13, 2004HurricaneTropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disasterDR-1539-FL
Oct 3, 2000Severe StormTropical Storm HeleneMajor disasterDR-1344-FL
Sep 28, 1998HurricaneHurricane GeorgesMajor disasterDR-1249-FL
Sep 25, 1998HurricaneHurricane GrorgesEmergencyEM-3131-FL
Jun 18, 1998FireExtreme Fire HazardMajor disasterDR-1223-FL
Jan 6, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1195-FL
Oct 4, 1995HurricaneHurricane OpalMajor disasterDR-1069-FL
Aug 10, 1995HurricaneHurricane ErinMajor disasterDR-1062-FL
Jul 10, 1994Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding (Tropical Storm Alberto)Major disasterDR-1035-FL
Jul 8, 1994FloodTropical Storm AlbertoEmergencyEM-3114-FL
Apr 3, 1990FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-862-FL
Sep 13, 1979HurricaneHurricane FredericMajor disasterDR-600-FL
Sep 26, 1975FloodHigh Winds, Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-484-FL
Aug 22, 1975FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-479-FL
Jul 3, 1970FloodHeavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-289-FL

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 USW00013884.
  • 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.
  • 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.