Poulsbo
Population 12,749 (2025)
5 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Poulsbo since 1950, 1 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on December 18, 2018.
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 19505
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19842
- Major flood years since 1978, Kitsap County2
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 Kitsap 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 Kitsap County.
Strongest tornado
F3
December 12, 1969, 3.8 mile path
Tornadoes
About one every 15 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
December 12, 1969
F3, 3.8 mile path
100 yards wide.
Most recent
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
EF2, 1.4 mile path
8 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Dec 18, 2018 | EF2 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 2001 | F0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1991 | F0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 12, 1969 | F3 | 3.8 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 28, 1962 | 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
2 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
August 4, 2018
Maple Fire, 3,543 acres
24.4 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
August 4, 2018
Maple Fire
3,543 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Maple | 2018 | 24.4 | 3,543 |
| Big Hump | 2011 | 20.8 | 1,400 |
- 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
2022: 31 days
Heavy smoke on 10 days in 2017, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
16.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
16 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 26 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
229 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $4.2 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Kitsap County, the county that contains Poulsbo.
Most claims in one year
2022: 74 claims
$2.2 million paid.
2nd most
2007: 29 claims
$656,000 paid.
3rd most
2010: 17 claims
$238,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 98110 | 69 | $1.9 million |
| 98312 | 32 | $462,000 |
| 98370 | 23 | $193,000 |
| 98340 | 19 | $461,000 |
| 98310 | 15 | $58,000 |
| 98366 | 15 | $157,000 |
| 98346 | 13 | $174,000 |
| 98367 | 12 | $285,000 |
| 98380 | 12 | $255,000 |
| 98383 | 8 | $221,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Heavy Rain8
- Flood1
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 Kitsap County, the county that contains Poulsbo.
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for 1 gauge here but lists no crests for it.
River gauges
| Pacific Ocean at Bremerton Tide Gage | 2.4 | — | 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 108 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 16 months.
The drought index is for Kitsap County, the county that contains Poulsbo.
108
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
28
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
July 1926
−5.67, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
16 months
September 1925 to December 1926.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.98, moderate drought
Last severe month: August 2026.
- 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
42 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 6.8 in 2001.
249
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
42
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
10
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
February 28, 2001
The 2001 Nisqually, Washington Earthquake; 41.1 miles away, 32.2 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 29, 2026
Magnitude 4.2
6 km WNW of Wauna, Washington; 23.8 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Sep 29, 2026 | 4.2 | 23.8 |
| Dec 24, 2023 | 4.0 | 15.7 |
| Oct 8, 2023 | 4.3 | 21.1 |
| Jul 12, 2019 | 4.6 | 30.4 |
| Nov 19, 2018 | 4.1 | 42.4 |
| Feb 22, 2017 | 4.1 | 25.7 |
| Jan 30, 2009 | 4.7 | 4.1 |
| Apr 25, 2003 | 4.8 | 28.7 |
| Jul 22, 2001 | 4.3 | 45.2 |
| Feb 28, 2001 | 6.8 | 41.1 |
| Jun 23, 1997 | 4.9 | 10.4 |
| May 2, 1996 | 5.4 | 35.6 |
| Jan 28, 1995 | 5.0 | 27.7 |
| Jun 15, 1994 | 4.0 | 33.4 |
| Jun 18, 1989 | 4.4 | 23.7 |
| Mar 4, 1989 | 4.5 | 33.6 |
| Oct 31, 1983 | 4.3 | 39.6 |
| Jun 8, 1980 | 4.2 | 23.4 |
| Dec 30, 1978 | 4.2 | 38.5 |
| Mar 31, 1978 | 4.1 | 22.6 |
| Mar 11, 1978 | 4.8 | 22.4 |
| Jun 16, 1977 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Sep 8, 1976 | 4.5 | 32.9 |
| Sep 2, 1976 | 4.7 | 31.7 |
| Apr 22, 1975 | 4.2 | 45.7 |
| Apr 16, 1975 | 4.0 | 17.7 |
| May 16, 1974 | 4.0 | 29.6 |
| Dec 27, 1971 | 4.1 | 23.2 |
| Oct 24, 1970 | 4.1 | 30.3 |
| Apr 29, 1965 | 6.7 | 30.7 |
| Jan 24, 1963 | 4.5 | 27.0 |
| Sep 10, 1960 | 4.6 | 3.9 |
| Jan 25, 1957 | 5.0 | 42.0 |
| May 15, 1954 | 5.0 | 34.7 |
| Feb 14, 1946 | 5.8 | 34.1 |
| Nov 28, 1943 | 4.8 | 47.1 |
| Nov 12, 1939 | 6.1 | 24.0 |
| Jul 17, 1932 | 5.2 | 37.7 |
| Dec 31, 1931 | 4.8 | 23.6 |
| Dec 25, 1913 | 4.7 | 6.6 |
| Mar 16, 1904 | 5.3 | 17.1 |
| Mar 13, 1903 | 4.9 | 20.7 |
- 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
| Mount Rainier | 74.0 | Very high |
| Glacier Peak | 75.3 | Very high |
| Mount Baker | 81.1 | Very 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 Kitsap County.
713
Landslides mapped, probable or better
12
With a recorded date
2
Source inventories
Mapped by WA WGS (701), NASA (12).
- 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
17 events in the National Weather Service record for Kitsap County, 16 of them since 1996.
0
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
1
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
0
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
0
Cold events since 1996
Strongest measured or estimated gust
December 14, 2010
60 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 2 | 0 |
| Debris flows | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Dec 2, 2007Heavy Rain$30.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rains caused officials to close or restrict nearly 200 roads, including major commuter paths such as Highway 3. A large sinkhole developed near the High Point Shopping Center in Port Orchard. About 300 structures throughout the county were damaged. Several stores in Silverdale suffered water damage.
- Dec 18, 2018Tornado$1.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
At 1350PST, a tornado touched down near Port Orchard, WA. This tornado continued on the ground in a northeast direction for approximately 5 minutes. Significant structure damage was evident in the damage path, including one home where the roof was completely removed. Ultimately, 300 homes and businesses were impacted by the tornado. It resulted in 25 red-tagged (uninhabitable), and 20 yellow-tagged (habitable at own risk) homes.
- Dec 12, 2010Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
About 200 people were trapped near Port Orchard when Hunter road was washed out by a raging creek - it is the only road in and out of a neighborhood. Lake Flora Rd was also closed near highway 3 where it was washed out.
- Mar 15, 1997Heavy Rain$750,000
National Weather Service narrative
Rainfall amounts, in inches, in the 24 hour period ending at 4 am on the 18th were, in the southern Olympics, Wynoochee Dam 6.77, at Wishkah Headworks 6.02. In the 24 hour period ending at 4 am on the 19th: In the southern Olympics, Wynoochee Dam 10.96 and Wishkah Headworks 7.30. At Francis, in the southwest interior, 5.10 inches. Seatac, 2.18 and Bremerton 5.38 inches. Many places in the Cascades recieved over 3 inches. The 5 day totals from the 15th to the 19th ranged from 14 to 22 inches in the southern Olympics, 4 to 9 inches in the southwest interior and 3 to 6 inches over Puget Sound.The heavy rain resulted in about 40 mudslides in Western Washington. At least 21 homes were…
- Jan 5, 2006Heavy Rain$700,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Governor declared a state of emergency after rain, at times heavy, over a period of about 10 days, caused over 7 million in damage, mainly to transportation infrastructure throughout western Washington. Mudslides closed parts of I-5 near the Pierce-Thurston county line, part of Highway 20 about a half mile east of Concrete, Highway 107 near Raymond, and Highway 166 near Port Orchard - where 3 cars crashed in the mud. In Bremerton, they totaled 16.2 inches of rainfall in 3 weeks, an amount which normally falls in 2 months. Mudslides halted Amtrak passenger train service between Everett and Olympia. In King County, there were 19 road closures from water over the roadway. Many…
- Oct 20, 2003Heavy Rain$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
An all time daily record rainfall total was set at Seatac Airport with 5.02 inches. Other daily records were set at Shelton with 7.20", Hoquaim with 5.39" and Olympia with 4.12". Almost all reporting stations had at least 2 inches of rain in the 24 hour period from midnight to midnight. Two sinkholes, one in Clallam and one in Mason county, damaged roads and cut off access to homes. In all, nearly 50 homes suffered damage from minor flooding especially in basements and garages. Traffic snarls were common as many roads throughout the region were temporarily closed. The national parks and forests suffered fairly extensive damage to several bridges and many trails or the roads that…
- Aug 3, 1999Lightning$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
Lightning started a fire which damaged a home.
- Feb 24, 1999Heavy Rain$35,000
National Weather Service narrative
In Kitsap County, up to 5 inches of rain fell during the 24 hr period ending at 10 am. The heavy rain closed roads, caused mudslides, and subsequent flooding damaged a bowling alley in Silverdale.
- May 13, 2013Thunderstorm Wind$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
In Silverdale, a tree crashed onto a home injuring the occupant. There were power outages on other parts of the Kitsap peninsula.
- Dec 14, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
A woman living in the Harper area was killed when a tree fell onto her home around 1230 am.
- 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 Seattle Boeing Field, 20.4 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 105°FJul 29, 2009
- All-time low
- 3°FJan 31, 1950
- Warmest night
- 76°FJun 28, 2021
- Coldest day
- 18°FJan 14, 1950
- Wettest day
- 4.04 inOct 20, 2003
- Snowiest day
- 7.8 inJan 13, 1950
- Hottest year
- 2015mean 57.7°F
- Coldest year
- 1955mean 50.1°F
- Wettest year
- 195050.40 in
- Driest year
- 201918.73 in
Station Seattle Boeing Field (USW00024234), 25 ft elevation, 20.4 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 27, 2026; 92.3% 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
16 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, March 22, 2020.
Declarations for Kitsap County.
| Mar 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481-WA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427-WA |
| Dec 8, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1734-WA |
| May 17, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1641-WA |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3227-WA |
| Nov 7, 2003 | Severe Storm | DR-1499-WA |
| Mar 1, 2001 | Earthquake | DR-1361-WA |
| Apr 2, 1997 | Flood | DR-1172-WA |
| Jan 17, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1159-WA |
| Feb 9, 1996 | Flood | DR-1100-WA |
| Mar 8, 1991 | Flood | DR-896-WA |
| Nov 26, 1990 | Flood | DR-883-WA |
| May 21, 1980 | Volcanic Eruption | DR-623-WA |
| Dec 31, 1979 | Flood | DR-612-WA |
| Jan 25, 1974 | Flood | DR-414-WA |
| May 11, 1965 | Earthquake | DR-196-WA |
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 USW00024234.
- 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.