Mountain Home
Population 16,779 (2025)
7 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Mountain Home since 1950, 0 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on July 25, 2024.
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 19507
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 1984155
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 Elmore 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 Elmore County.
Strongest tornado
F1
August 10, 1986, 2.0 mile path
Tornadoes
About one every 11 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
August 10, 1986
F1, 2.0 mile path
20 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, July 25, 2024
EF0, 0.6 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Jul 25, 2024 | EF0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 2023 | EF0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 2019 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2013 | EF0 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1998 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 10, 1986 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1961 | F1 | 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
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
155 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
August 19, 1992
Foothills Fire, 228,509 acres
13.8 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
July 31, 2025
Range Fire
26,776 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Range | 2025 | 21.8 | 26,776 |
| Berry | 2024 | 23.1 | 14,184 |
| Syrup | 2024 | 5.7 | 5,179 |
| Otr 161 | 2024 | 16.8 | 3,107 |
| Basin | 2024 | 24.0 | 6,152 |
| Otr 134 | 2024 | 15.6 | 8,046 |
| Mm97 I84 | 2024 | 2.4 | 6,300 |
| Otr 47 | 2024 | 18.1 | 2,941 |
| Browns | 2020 | 20.0 | 2,394 |
| Mayfield | 2019 | 23.2 | 1,211 |
| Canmay | 2019 | 8.5 | 1,050 |
| Teapot | 2018 | 8.6 | 2,793 |
| Loveridge | 2018 | 23.0 | 1,120 |
| Pot Hole | 2018 | 24.4 | 9,251 |
| Alkie | 2018 | 18.6 | 2,111 |
| Five Cent | 2018 | 12.1 | 2,447 |
| Loveridge | 2017 | 14.5 | 39,611 |
| Centennial | 2017 | 18.7 | 18,531 |
| Sand Point | 2017 | 18.4 | 7,748 |
| Beet Dump | 2017 | 9.0 | 4,713 |
| Ditto | 2017 | 11.5 | 2,656 |
| Crater | 2017 | 9.1 | 1,119 |
| Lock | 2017 | 4.1 | 2,770 |
| Breeze | 2017 | 13.3 | 1,864 |
| Pence | 2017 | 19.6 | 3,061 |
| Cold | 2015 | 15.0 | 1,651 |
| May | 2014 | 15.9 | 2,996 |
| Pony Complex | 2013 | 6.6 | 148,112 |
| Elk Complex | 2013 | 16.2 | 129,508 |
| Air | 2013 | 11.8 | 3,359 |
| Crane Falls | 2013 | 14.2 | 1,009 |
| Browns Gulch | 2013 | 17.7 | 4,495 |
| Mm86 Westbound I84 | 2012 | 3.8 | 1,823 |
| Stout | 2012 | 8.6 | 12,305 |
| Mm66 I84 | 2012 | 23.8 | 2,257 |
| South Indian | 2012 | 15.0 | 13,745 |
| Benwalk | 2012 | 1.8 | 28,133 |
| Kinyon Road | 2012 | 24.5 | 171,373 |
| Ditto | 2012 | 14.0 | 6,117 |
| Impact | 2012 | 21.0 | 1,075 |
| Highway 20 | 2012 | 5.7 | 6,237 |
| Grindstone | 2011 | 23.1 | 21,820 |
| Hot Springs 2 | 2011 | 17.4 | 10,905 |
| Hog | 2011 | 2.4 | 1,295 |
| Morrow | 2011 | 19.5 | 1,271 |
| Union | 2011 | 20.8 | 13,083 |
| Southsim | 2011 | 9.2 | 15,289 |
| Blair | 2011 | 20.5 | 40,079 |
| Alky | 2011 | 15.8 | 1,668 |
| Ota 197 | 2011 | 22.3 | 1,044 |
| Ota 134 | 2011 | 20.9 | 3,414 |
| Castle Rock | 2010 | 23.9 | 1,016 |
| Hot Tea | 2010 | 12.1 | 5,182 |
| South Trail | 2010 | 19.4 | 4,013 |
| Sailor Creek | 2010 | 23.9 | 10,235 |
| South Base | 2010 | 9.2 | 2,245 |
| Browns | 2008 | 24.8 | 1,383 |
| Knudsen | 2008 | 5.6 | 2,513 |
| Cold | 2007 | 17.3 | 3,579 |
| Rock | 2007 | 7.0 | 1,281 |
| Nichol | 2007 | 11.5 | 5,450 |
| North Flat | 2007 | 10.3 | 3,271 |
| Tongue Complex (Bruneau Arms Complex) | 2007 | 12.1 | 3,428 |
| Impact Area | 2006 | 23.2 | 1,176 |
| Cold | 2006 | 18.0 | 3,633 |
| Rabbit | 2006 | 14.2 | 15,106 |
| Ditto Rest | 2006 | 4.2 | 6,283 |
| Dome | 2006 | 8.3 | 1,314 |
| Little South | 2006 | 23.2 | 1,014 |
| Ratcan | 2006 | 10.3 | 2,522 |
| Marthas Mud | 2006 | 6.0 | 4,852 |
| Nichol Pit | 2006 | 10.0 | 1,102 |
| Surrup | 2005 | 12.3 | 1,019 |
| Bowns Roost | 2005 | 15.2 | 4,073 |
| South Black | 2005 | 20.8 | 8,276 |
| Blair | 2005 | 17.1 | 1,438 |
| Clover | 2005 | 22.6 | 198,974 |
| Brown Dune | 2005 | 16.4 | 9,634 |
| South Pot | 2004 | 19.5 | 1,091 |
| Cold Springs | 2001 | 18.7 | 1,378 |
| Unnamed | 2001 | 18.9 | 1,639 |
| North Slater | 2001 | 22.5 | 4,603 |
| Deadman Falls | 2001 | 23.3 | 1,109 |
| Desert Duck | 2001 | 10.1 | 1,040 |
| Oregon Trail | 2000 | 4.8 | 31,558 |
| Mp 78 I-84 | 2000 | 11.1 | 2,614 |
| Mp 77 I-84 | 2000 | 13.7 | 1,588 |
| Mp 63 I-84 | 2000 | 24.9 | 1,606 |
| East Slick | 1999 | 22.2 | 36,681 |
| The Scales | 1999 | 23.8 | 1,426 |
| Kings Crown | 1999 | 24.4 | 2,520 |
| Airbase | 1997 | 12.7 | 1,177 |
| Canyon Creek | 1997 | 8.7 | 1,114 |
| Bennett Mountain | 1996 | 12.8 | 1,553 |
| Crane Falls | 1996 | 14.7 | 4,918 |
| Canyon Creek | 1996 | 4.4 | 27,897 |
| Cove | 1996 | 17.8 | 2,000 |
| Hot Springs | 1996 | 23.3 | 1,180 |
| Ota | 1996 | 13.7 | 1,858 |
| Rrmp 415 | 1996 | 8.8 | 1,580 |
| Hog Farm | 1996 | 6.2 | 1,706 |
| Browns Gulch | 1996 | 18.9 | 22,129 |
| Loveridge | 1996 | 17.0 | 2,888 |
| Unnamed | 1996 | 15.4 | 7,728 |
| I84-79.5 | 1995 | 10.7 | 1,651 |
| Sailor Creek | 1995 | 21.4 | 2,550 |
| Mud Springs | 1994 | 10.8 | 1,034 |
| Rr Mp 416 | 1993 | 8.8 | 2,800 |
| Foothills | 1992 | 13.8 | 228,509 |
| Wgrindston | 1992 | 19.5 | 1,323 |
| Hill Ck | 1991 | 19.2 | 1,465 |
| Rrmp 431 | 1991 | 24.2 | 2,946 |
| Cat Creek | 1990 | 21.0 | 1,162 |
| Ditto Ck | 1989 | 14.6 | 1,205 |
| I84-Mp 85 | 1989 | 5.9 | 1,579 |
| Teapot | 1989 | 5.5 | 4,291 |
| Canyon Ck | 1989 | 4.1 | 6,899 |
| Small Arms | 1989 | 7.2 | 6,384 |
| Lockman | 1988 | 7.1 | 4,348 |
| Deer Haven | 1987 | 24.6 | 1,080 |
| C J Srike | 1987 | 13.8 | 3,646 |
| Mp 104 | 1986 | 7.5 | 1,065 |
| Dorsey Bt | 1986 | 13.3 | 15,810 |
| Willow Creek Complex | 1986 | 15.0 | 13,650 |
| Long Tom | 1986 | 14.3 | 10,103 |
| Bryans Run | 1986 | 23.9 | 5,585 |
| Division | 1986 | 3.8 | 1,250 |
| Alkali Cr | 1986 | 19.4 | 2,303 |
| Hogfarm | 1986 | 0.9 | 2,733 |
| Lockman | 1986 | 5.5 | 1,485 |
| Rrmp 39099 | 1986 | 7.8 | 4,214 |
| Bop | 1985 | 19.6 | 13,885 |
| Blacks Ck | 1985 | 22.4 | 18,611 |
| Bowns | 1985 | 17.9 | 5,782 |
| Hot Cr | 1985 | 21.6 | 10,539 |
| Cjn | 1985 | 15.3 | 1,432 |
| Hamilton | 1985 | 10.2 | 3,791 |
| Hog Farm | 1985 | 4.6 | 2,433 |
| Military Rail Road | 1984 | 1.3 | 7,655 |
| Chattin | 1984 | 14.3 | 5,334 |
| Stage Stop | 1984 | 19.3 | 2,052 |
| Air Force | 1984 | 11.5 | 9,720 |
| Big Draw 2 | 1984 | 14.4 | 45,780 |
| Roseuear | 1984 | 24.3 | 2,548 |
| Cheat Ii | 1984 | 17.0 | 7,372 |
| Interstate | 1984 | 4.0 | 21,634 |
| Rye Grass | 1984 | 14.3 | 4,393 |
| Soles Rest | 1984 | 15.1 | 1,180 |
| Orchard Ii | 1984 | 17.1 | 1,805 |
| Small Arms | 1984 | 4.9 | 2,232 |
| Mp 96 | 1984 | 1.9 | 1,775 |
| Browns Gulch | 1984 | 16.9 | 7,548 |
| Guard I | 1984 | 18.8 | 4,132 |
| Cheatgrass | 1984 | 15.3 | 2,328 |
| Hot Creek | 1984 | 22.3 | 2,463 |
- 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: 62 days
Heavy smoke on 41 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
25.6 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
13 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 28 so far in 2026.
- 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
11 federal flood insurance claims since 2009, with $108,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Elmore County, the county that contains Mountain Home.
Most claims in one year
2017: 7 claims
$46,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 83647 | 9 | $52,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Heavy Rain27
- Flash Flood13
- Flood6
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 Elmore County, the county that contains Mountain Home.
Most severe crest
May 7, 2017
South Fork Boise River at Pine (near Featherville), 8.24 ft
1.04 feet above the 7.2 ft flood stage; minor flooding by today’s categories.
River gauges
| South Fork Boise River at Pine (near Featherville) | 7.2 | 8.24 ft | 0 |
- 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 169 of 1,581 months since 1895 (11%); the longest spell lasted 21 months.
The drought index is for Elmore County, the county that contains Mountain Home.
169
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
47
Months in extreme drought
11%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
April 1977
−6.59, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
February 1987 to October 1988.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.29, severe 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
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 2002; none reached magnitude 4.
1
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
November 4, 2002
Magnitude 3.5
37 km NE of Mountain Home, Idaho; 23.5 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
November 4, 2002
Magnitude 3.5
37 km NE of Mountain Home, Idaho; 23.5 miles away.
- 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
| Black Butte Crater lava field | 68.0 | Low |
| Jordan Craters volcanic field | 88.9 | Very low |
- 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 Elmore County.
33
Landslides mapped, probable or better
13
With a recorded date
2
Source inventories
Mapped by ID GS (20), NASA (13).
- 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
418 events in the National Weather Service record for Elmore County, 396 of them since 1996.
9
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
48
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
232
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
2
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
August 10, 2019
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
March 18, 1995
83 mph
More event types since 1996
| Dense fog and smoke | 4 | 0 |
| Debris flows | 1 | 0 |
| Avalanches | 2 | 4 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Aug 25, 2008Wildfire, Upper Treasure Valley$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A wildfire in Southeast Boise caused by an electrical component near an Idaho Power sub station quickly burned out of control destroying 10 homes and damaging many more including 1 fatality. Another wildfire near Mountain Home burned around 500 acres.
- Jul 28, 2010Wildfire, Upper Treasure Valley$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Boise District BLM reported a wildfire in the foothills near Eagle, Idaho. Lightning sparked a grass fire east of Linder and Homer roads and burned approximately 5000 acres and 5 structures including 3 homes.
- Aug 21, 2010Wildfire, Upper Treasure Valley$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A home and six out buildings were destroyed by a wildfire due to downed power lines in the area of Federal Way and Kootenai streets.
- Jul 22, 2008Flash Flood$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Forest Service Roads were washed out with debris flows. The top end of Fall Creek road was washed out and the West Fork of James Creek near Atlanta road was also washed out. A new washout scar was seen in the wilderness area near Jackson Peak on the Upper North Fork of the Boise River.
- Mar 29, 2009High Wind, Upper Treasure Valley$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Boise NWS ASOS recorded a peak gust of 53 MPH and over $100,000 in damages were sustained in the north end of Boise while Mountain Home had winds of 40 to 50 MPH for most of the day.
- May 7, 2017Flood$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Boise River near Anderson reached minor food stage due to snow melt. A number of county and Forest Service roads were damaged.
- Jan 17, 2011Flood$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Minor flooding was reported in Glenns Ferry by the Elmore County Sheriff's Department dispatch. A portion of a railway line was washed out and four homes were evacuated.
- May 21, 2013Strong Wind, Boise Mountains$10,000
National Weather Service narrative
Wind damage was reported in Garden Valley with trees down and damage to homes.
- May 16, 1996Heavy Rain$5,000
- Feb 8, 2017Flood$2,000
National Weather Service narrative
A road was washed out cutting access to Souls Rest Creek neighborhood.
- 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
No weather station within 40 miles has the 30 years of complete, current records this section needs.
Federal disaster declarations
11 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 9, 2020.
Declarations for Elmore County.
| Apr 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534-ID |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467-ID |
| Aug 27, 2017 | Flood | DR-4333-ID |
| Apr 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4310-ID |
| Aug 13, 2013 | Fire | FM-5043-ID |
| Aug 15, 2012 | Fire | FM-5006-ID |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244-ID |
| Sep 1, 2000 | Fire | DR-1341-ID |
| Jan 4, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1154-ID |
| May 5, 1977 | Drought | EM-3040-ID |
| Dec 31, 1964 | Flood | DR-186-ID |
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.
- 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.