Bethel Census Area

Population 18,391 (2025) 40,661 sq mi

Large wildfires have burned 1,918,765 acres of Bethel Census Area since 1984, 3rd most of 30 counties in Alaska; the largest was the Lime Hills Fire in 2013.

Hazard fingerprint for Bethel Census Area Tornado: 0th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 70th percentile. Flood: 1th percentile. Hail & wind: 0th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 0th percentile. Winter: 10th 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 since 19502
  • Wildfire burn scars since 1984110

At a glance

The record for Bethel Census Area in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Acres burned since 1984

1.92 million

3rd of 30 in Alaska

110 large fires; the largest was Lime Hills, 2013

Details

Flood insurance claims

45

7th of 30 in Alaska

$306,000 paid since 1983

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

2

Most of any of Alaska’s 30 counties

0 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Strongest tornado

F0

June 18, 2004, 0.0 mile path

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

6.9magnitude

June 2, 1903, inside the county

Details

Federal disaster declarations

20

Most recent: Severe Storms, Flooding, and Remnants of Typhoon Halong, 2025

Details

Record high

90°F

June 17, 1926

Details

Record low

−52°F

Reached 3 times, most recently January 25, 1947

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 38 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

June 18, 2004

F0, 0.0 mile path

0 yards wide.

Most recent

Friday, June 18, 2004

F0, 0.0 mile path

22 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 2 2 2010s: 0 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 0 M: 0 J: 2 2 J: 0 A: 0 S: 0 O: 0 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Bethel Census Area since 1950
Jun 18, 2004F00.0000
Jun 14, 2004F00.0000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Bethel Census Area: 0.
  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

No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.

Wildfire and smoke

1.92 million acres burned in 110 large fires since 1984, equal to 7.4% of the land.

Largest

May 31, 2013

Lime Hills Fire, 193,970 acres

193,968 acres inside Bethel Census Area.

Most recent

June 19, 2024

Little Underhill Creek Fire

1,049 acres in total.

Acres burned since 1984, cumulative 1987: 2,7221989: 15,2091990: 22,0361991: 31,3341993: 32,8621994: 3,5732002: 28,7422005: 170,5452006: 6,8052007: 5,4932009: 64,7402013: 247,1642015: 559,2122016: 39,7822017: 2,2992018: 10,5482019: 109,2162020: 33,1902022: 514,8212024: 18,473 1,918,765 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned inside the county (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Little Underhill Creek20241,0581,049
Muskeg Creek20241,0061,014
Aniak River20242,3672,364
Owhat River20241,3591,354
South Fork George River20248,1708,173
Eightmile Creek20244,5114,423
Fork Creek20222,7232,722
Door Mountain2022167,041167,023
Kiknik202278199,643
Sawpit Creek202227,92327,898
Swift River202292,44492,389
Telaquana River20228,0798,074
South Lime Lake20223,6463,645
Aghaluk Mountain2022115,868115,788
Stony River202280,95680,954
Hook Creek20224,7574,756
Kwethluk202210,59610,594
Taylor Creek202018,71218,701
Izaviknek River20203,7283,728
Ingakslugwat Hills202010,74969,424
Hoholitna20191,3131,313
Aghaluk Creek20192,2712,269
Smith Creek201949,27471,948
East Stony River20192,4112,410
Horn Foothills20193,9483,944
Kolmakof Hills201910,06410,056
Door Mountains20193,6813,681
Mccally Creek20193,0953,094
Little Titnuk20199,6689,666
Titnuk Creek20191,8211,821
Fuller Creek20199,2009,200
Jump Peak20193,7863,778
Swift Creek20194,3514,345
Little Kasigluk20194,3274,324
Door Mountains201810,54810,542
Bell Creek20172,2982,295
Timber Creek20167,8327,825
Israthorak Creek20166,1796,180
Bogus Creek20164,5274,523
Doestock Creek20162,5042,501
Owhat River 220161,2171,217
Smith Creek20161,1135,430
George River20163,5953,595
South Fork George River20161,1391,137
Gweek River20161,3801,380
Hook Creek20168,0258,266
Aropuk Lake20162,2662,269
Chuilnuk River20151,3321,333
Ophir Creek201531,48931,462
Rock Creek20159,3089,297
Owhat River201540,92140,893
Kwethluk River # 2201523,91223,906
North Aniak201557,41057,369
Puk Palik Lake201515,89015,875
Mission Creek20152,9822,978
Izavlknek River201523,34123,323
Old Village20151,9861,987
Kuka Creek 4201570,23270,202
Village Creek201516,71116,706
Quinn Creek201511,69711,688
Basket Creek #220151,1381,139
Kutokbuna Lake201512,24312,240
Why Lake201546,36046,352
Little Swift Creek20151,6171,616
Oskawalik River20152,3032,302
Fog River201539,01938,994
Can Creek201551,94051,913
Bogus Creek201526,39326,377
Whitefish Lake 1201570,97970,935
Gagaryah 220134,9034,903
Whitefish Lake20134,4144,413
Hoholitna20133,1663,165
Kristin Creek201316,07616,066
Lime Hills2013193,968193,970
Doestock Creek201324,63424,617
Gagaryah 2200919,54619,553
Cheeneetnuk200928,53028,524
Winter Trail20092,2482,246
Hoholitna20098,6818,675
Oskawalik20093,8923,890
Big Lake20091,8401,841
Noyuk20073,0033,001
Kuka20072,4892,493
Takslesluk North20064,0244,027
North Horn20062,7802,779
Otter Creek20053,1103,112
Saddle200536,056132,963
Talbiksok200549,06481,996
George200559,04362,942
Swift200520,05820,044
Stony20053,2113,211
Crooked 320022,1392,137
Moose Creek20028884,118
Hoholitna20021,6231,626
Aropuk200219,83719,905
Kalskag20024,2534,255
Gagaryah 219943,5723,569
Anchor19933,0743,073
Timber199329,78729,761
Kulukbuk19912,8952,894
Little19916,1007,028
Stoney19918,4598,457
Cross19918,11020,599
Moly19915,7675,764
Rock Creek199011,31311,308
Crooked Cr199010,72210,716
Kogoyuk19895,9105,906
Shotgun Dr.19897515,464
Crooked Creek19898,5478,547
Landmark19872,7214,165
  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

2022: 9 days

Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2022, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

2.9 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

2 days

Medium or heavy smoke.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 2 2014: 0 2015: 2 2016: 1 2017: 2 2018: 0 2019: 7 2020: 4 2021: 2 2022: 9 9 2023: 0 2024: 2 2025: 2 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population 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

45 federal flood insurance claims since 1983, with $306,000 paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1985: 5 1991: 8 8 2002: 7 1985
Claims per year since 1983. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1991: 8 claims

$129,000 paid.

2nd most

2002: 7 claims

$49,000 paid.

3rd most

1985: 5 claims

$6,214 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
9955724$216,000
9955918$75,000

Flood events since 1996

  • 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

Most severe crest

October 12, 2025

Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum), 8.10 ft

7.70 feet above the 0.4 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

October 12, 2025

Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum), 8.10 ft

Major flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Oct 12, 2025Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)8.10+7.70Major
Oct 12, 2025Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)7.50+6.90Major
May 19, 1976Kuskokwim River at Bethel14.42+5.92Major
May 7, 1941Kuskokwim River at Bethel14.01+5.51Major
Nov 13, 2000Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)4.70+4.30Major
Oct 28, 2016Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)4.40+4.00Major
Dec 19, 2015Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)4.00+3.60Major
May 14, 1989Kuskokwim River at Bethel13.50+5.00Moderate
May 22, 1975Kuskokwim River at Bethel13.30+4.80Moderate
May 13, 1963Kuskokwim River at Bethel13.22+4.72Moderate
May 25, 1972Kuskokwim River at Bethel13.20+4.70Moderate
Jun 5, 1964Kuskokwim River at Bethel13.07+4.57Moderate
May 26, 1985Kuskokwim River at Bethel12.02+3.52Moderate
Aug 18, 2024Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)3.48+3.08Moderate
Sep 17, 2022Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)3.00+2.60Moderate
Aug 17, 1990Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)3.10+2.50Moderate
Nov 9, 2011Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)2.80+2.40Moderate
Dec 21, 2017Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)3.00+2.40Moderate
Jan 14, 2018Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.60+2.00Moderate
Dec 9, 2019Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.50+1.90Moderate
Aug 18, 2024Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.50+1.90Moderate
Nov 9, 1979Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.30+1.70Moderate
Dec 14, 2017Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.20+1.60Moderate
Sep 11, 2019Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.10+1.50Moderate
Oct 4, 2017Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)2.10+1.50Moderate

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Kipnuk Tide Gauge at Kipnuk (MHHW datum)0.48.10 ftOct 12, 20254
Kuskokwim River at Bethel8.514.42 ftMay 19, 19762
Kuskokwim River at Crooked Creek19.032.01 ftMay 9, 20110
Kwigillingok Tide Gauge at Kwigillingok (MHHW datum)0.67.50 ftOct 12, 20251
  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

NOAA’s county drought index covers the lower 48 states only.

Earthquakes and volcanoes

183 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 6.9 in 1903.

129

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

952

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

183

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

36

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

June 2, 1903

Magnitude 6.9

Kuskokwim River Basin, Southwestern Alaska; inside the county.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

October 1, 2026

Magnitude 3.2

35 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska; 43.1 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 8 1974: 10 1975: 5 1976: 8 1977: 7 1978: 5 1979: 9 1980: 6 1981: 6 1982: 5 1983: 12 1984: 6 1985: 6 1986: 3 1987: 14 1988: 35 35 1989: 23 1990: 20 1991: 24 1992: 24 1993: 26 1994: 29 1995: 28 1996: 30 1997: 31 1998: 26 1999: 16 2000: 17 2001: 26 2002: 19 2003: 17 2004: 17 2005: 29 2006: 11 2007: 18 2008: 8 2009: 30 2010: 16 2011: 20 2012: 23 2013: 20 2014: 24 2015: 16 2016: 24 2017: 18 2018: 18 2019: 17 2020: 24 2021: 8 2022: 15 2023: 21 2024: 19 2025: 27 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Aug 7, 20265.622.26.257 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 15, 20264.96.12.0106 km NNW of Aleknagik, Alaska
Feb 4, 20264.448.163.046 km NNW of Beluga, Alaska
Jan 5, 20264.543.5117.334 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Oct 13, 20254.149.8117.133 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Jul 3, 20254.449.062.125 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Mar 25, 20254.038.90.673 km WNW of Petersville, Alaska
Feb 21, 20244.639.492.270 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Dec 16, 20234.745.9116.939 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
May 27, 20234.446.084.774 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 2, 20235.035.970.058 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Oct 30, 20224.140.48.0Southern Alaska
Sep 30, 20224.138.68.175 km NW of Ninilchik, Alaska
May 7, 20224.445.058.846 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Mar 23, 20224.849.691.867 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Mar 12, 20224.846.458.844 km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska
Feb 20, 20224.346.469.131 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Feb 7, 20224.049.060.340 km W of Petersville, Alaska
Mar 2, 20214.535.561.557 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Sep 11, 20204.330.675.657 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 18, 20204.237.811.492 km NNE of Lime Village, Alaska
Feb 2, 20204.342.858.157 km W of Salamatof, Alaska
Dec 16, 20194.144.064.653 km W of Salamatof, Alaska
Oct 4, 20195.048.057.741 km W of Petersville, Alaska
Dec 14, 20184.044.652.444 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Oct 23, 20184.943.91.669 km SSW of Hooper Bay, Alaska
Jan 14, 20184.141.8116.340 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Nov 5, 20174.848.786.768 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Jan 26, 20174.525.988.252 km W of Skwentna, Alaska
Oct 23, 20164.147.262.019 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 1, 20164.529.181.860 km WNW of Beluga, Alaska
May 21, 20164.517.989.269 km NW of Skwentna, Alaska
Feb 3, 20164.539.7117.345 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Oct 31, 20154.432.765.939 km NW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 25, 20155.137.478.034 km W of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 24, 20155.838.071.046 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 25, 20146.244.467.722 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 10, 20144.236.83.067 km W of Petersville, Alaska
Jul 12, 20134.346.191.770 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 22, 20134.4Inside6.219 km NNW of Eek, Alaska
Jan 13, 20135.031.183.186 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Nov 30, 20124.149.450.333 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Nov 5, 20124.130.977.570 km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska
Jun 5, 20124.212.63.881 km NW of Skwentna, Alaska
May 9, 20124.143.59.184 km SSW of Denali National Park, Alaska
Dec 9, 20114.135.170.062 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Nov 8, 20114.139.584.073 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Apr 15, 20114.328.877.762 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jan 14, 20114.429.075.074 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Mar 12, 20094.442.0119.143 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Mar 14, 20085.127.289.381 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Oct 13, 20075.249.859.725 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 12, 20074.038.973.144 km WNW of Tyonek, Alaska
Sep 11, 20074.449.262.749 km NNW of Beluga, Alaska
Apr 12, 20074.144.4126.035 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Jan 8, 20074.543.857.335 km NNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Mar 17, 20064.749.750.439 km WNW of Salamatof, Alaska
May 26, 20054.3Inside12.471 km SE of Chuathbaluk, Alaska
May 26, 20054.6Inside12.451 km SE of Chuathbaluk, Alaska
Apr 15, 20054.440.950.846 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Mar 11, 20054.144.572.328 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Aug 3, 20044.143.765.249 km W of Petersville, Alaska
May 30, 20045.336.977.657 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
May 1, 20044.512.0103.689 km WNW of Tyonek, Alaska
Jan 16, 20044.343.9113.641 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Dec 29, 20034.048.086.064 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Nov 14, 20034.044.160.241 km SSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Oct 9, 20034.342.9121.736 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Mar 19, 20024.541.6118.045 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 13, 20014.044.50.033 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 25, 20004.139.060.356 km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska
Mar 21, 20004.946.650.841 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Feb 27, 20004.149.167.943 km W of Salamatof, Alaska
Apr 10, 19994.048.553.240 km N of Skwentna, Alaska
Mar 10, 19994.042.577.936 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 9, 19986.142.181.573 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska
May 23, 19984.337.789.061 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
May 19, 19984.024.385.551 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Apr 5, 19984.242.6105.448 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Nov 21, 19974.442.891.370 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Oct 5, 19974.131.091.856 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 14, 19974.243.669.874 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska
Feb 8, 19974.449.758.728 km SSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 19, 19964.449.090.747 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Dec 18, 19954.146.661.843 km WSW of Petersville, Alaska
Nov 20, 19954.037.968.944 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 5, 19954.336.865.4Southern Alaska
Apr 16, 19954.247.578.870 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Apr 2, 19954.225.797.784 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Oct 16, 19944.748.777.152 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Oct 1, 19944.441.057.545 km SSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 18, 19944.346.687.160 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 10, 19944.419.26.276 km NNW of Aleknagik, Alaska
Feb 8, 19944.014.1-1.979 km NW of Aleknagik, Alaska
Jun 8, 19924.243.6106.350 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
May 15, 19924.220.20.010 km SE of Togiak, Alaska
Apr 27, 19924.7Inside-1.980 km NE of Lime Village, Alaska
Feb 10, 19924.028.615.480 km S of Nikolai, Alaska
Oct 24, 19914.423.2119.288 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Jan 26, 19914.1Inside6.235 km SSW of Holy Cross, Alaska
Nov 26, 19904.440.965.143 km NNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Oct 18, 19904.344.477.632 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Aug 6, 19894.348.813.437 km WSW of Takotna, Alaska
Apr 6, 19894.142.0117.435 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Mar 5, 19894.248.589.159 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Nov 29, 19885.729.085.360 km WNW of Tyonek, Alaska
May 28, 19884.640.2127.441 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Apr 2, 19884.141.9104.850 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 6, 19886.446.183.375 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska
Oct 19, 19874.049.462.735 km SSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Oct 6, 19874.441.570.853 km W of Salamatof, Alaska
Sep 12, 19874.441.363.341 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Nov 3, 19864.736.960.949 km WNW of Beluga, Alaska
Mar 21, 19864.438.9102.758 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 28, 19864.742.077.776 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 10, 19854.443.660.840 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Mar 31, 19854.320.1101.295 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Mar 20, 19854.148.878.067 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 25, 19854.011.58.786 km SE of Nikolai, Alaska
Jul 25, 19844.1Inside20.523 km SSW of Sleetmute, Alaska
Apr 19, 19844.536.473.847 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Apr 18, 19845.146.559.045 km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska
Feb 23, 19844.337.287.270 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 21, 19834.846.779.065 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska
Aug 6, 19835.428.185.774 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Aug 4, 19834.0Inside20.549 km SW of Red Devil, Alaska
Jul 20, 19834.228.984.666 km WNW of Beluga, Alaska
Apr 24, 19834.235.767.750 km WNW of Beluga, Alaska
Apr 22, 19834.635.3113.7Southern Alaska
Apr 20, 19834.242.1109.946 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Feb 22, 19834.549.581.165 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Jan 30, 19834.6Inside20.552 km S of Chuathbaluk, Alaska
Nov 6, 19824.145.981.317 km W of Skwentna, Alaska
Aug 20, 19824.028.210.259 km NW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 14, 19825.028.297.649 km NE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Dec 31, 19814.147.179.320 km WSW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 10, 19814.148.472.542 km W of Salamatof, Alaska
Apr 24, 19814.035.183.680 km NW of Ninilchik, Alaska
Aug 21, 19804.324.679.566 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 17, 19804.443.4106.347 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Dec 26, 19794.145.869.041 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Nov 25, 19794.148.694.470 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Aug 8, 19794.040.372.741 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 16, 19794.614.587.696 km W of Nikiski, Alaska
Apr 3, 19794.540.8108.1Southern Alaska
Apr 3, 19794.336.6103.156 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 21, 19784.545.350.336 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Aug 21, 19784.037.676.448 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Aug 13, 19784.447.0114.346 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Jan 5, 19784.445.268.436 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Dec 27, 19775.136.7108.740 km ENE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 26, 19774.440.785.178 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska
Sep 17, 19774.819.793.296 km W of Tyonek, Alaska
Aug 7, 19774.347.183.369 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
May 6, 19774.535.280.851 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 26, 19764.035.859.058 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Sep 25, 19764.042.068.438 km SW of Skwentna, Alaska
Aug 21, 19765.547.689.556 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Apr 23, 19764.235.320.570 km W of Petersville, Alaska
Apr 8, 19764.132.079.568 km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska
Oct 27, 19754.519.382.078 km WNW of Beluga, Alaska
Oct 16, 19755.349.461.563 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Jul 29, 19754.448.895.750 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Nov 22, 19744.644.098.256 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Aug 5, 19745.045.784.555 km E of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 28, 19734.412.9103.880 km NE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
May 20, 19734.933.973.370 km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska
Jun 18, 19725.14.49.392 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 1, 19705.742.255.847 km NW of Beluga, Alaska
Jun 28, 19645.644.012.472 km WNW of Petersville, Alaska
Aug 18, 19625.622.518.654 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Aug 18, 19626.115.028.666 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jul 16, 19626.013.631.169 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 29, 19625.533.712.447 km NW of Skwentna, Alaska
Sep 11, 19605.530.6121.243 km NE of Port Alsworth, Alaska
Sep 21, 19595.524.7—51 km ESE of Shageluk, Alaska
Jan 17, 19365.637.4—31 km W of Skwentna, Alaska
Jun 13, 19336.046.39.3Southern Alaska
Jun 7, 19326.020.49.372 km SE of Nikolai, Alaska
Mar 25, 19326.819.49.3Alaska Range, about 220 km NW of Anchorage
Mar 25, 19326.014.3—90 km SE of Nikolai, Alaska
Oct 25, 19306.0Inside9.387 km ENE of Lime Village, Alaska
Jun 2, 19036.9Inside—Kuskokwim River Basin, Southwestern Alaska
  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 county boundary (or inside the county).
  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.

Volcanoes within 100 miles

Volcanoes within 100 miles
Ingakslugwat Hills16.3Low623
Hayes24.4High9,954
Spurr26.4Very high11,070
Redoubt37.5Very high10,197
Iliamna61.6High10,016
  1. 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.

Severe weather and other events

20 events in the National Weather Service record, 20 of them since 1996.

0

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

0

Hail, 2 inches or larger

0

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

13

Winter weather events since 1996

0

Heat events since 1996

0

Cold events since 1996

  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 Bethel Airport, 14.3 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1923.

All-time high
90°FJun 17, 1926
All-time low
−52°F3 times, most recently Jan 25, 1947
Warmest night
64°FJul 6, 2019
Coldest day
−39°FJan 27, 1989
Wettest day
2.30 inAug 12, 1951
Snowiest day
17.6 inJan 3, 1952
Hottest year
2016mean 36.8°F
Coldest year
1939mean 24.8°F
Wettest year
195140.76 in
Driest year
19346.17 in
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Bethel Airport 32°F 13° 1° 0.9 Jan 21° 7° 1.0 Feb 22° 7° 0.7 Mar 36° 21° 0.8 Apr 52° 34° 1.2 May 62° 45° 1.7 Jun 63° 49° 3.0 Jul 60° 47° 3.4 Aug 53° 39° 3.0 Sep 38° 27° 1.9 Oct 24° 13° 1.6 Nov 17° 4° 1.1 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1976: 234 1977: 234 1978: 217 1979: 209 1980: 224 1981: 213 1982: 212 1983: 219 1984: 227 1985: 216 1986: 233 1987: 230 1988: 217 1989: 216 1990: 210 1991: 209 1992: 252 252 1993: 199 1994: 217 1995: 208 1996: 230 1997: 217 1998: 228 1999: 232 2000: 231 2001: 236 2002: 206 2003: 213 2004: 204 2005: 211 2006: 209 2007: 202 2008: 218 2009: 213 2010: 232 2011: 219 2012: 234 2013: 218 2014: 203 2015: 209 2016: 192 2017: 199 2018: 194 2019: 200 2020: 202 2021: 223 2022: 208 2023: 220 2024: 217 2025: 210 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 214.3.

Station Bethel Airport (USW00026615), 107 ft elevation, 14.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1923 to October 28, 2026; 99.8% 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

20 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Flooding, and Remnants of Typhoon Halong, October 22, 2025.

Federal disaster declarations
Oct 22, 2025FloodSevere Storms, Flooding, and Remnants of Typhoon HalongMajor disasterDR-4893-AK
Aug 23, 2023FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4730-AK
Sep 23, 2022Severe StormSevere Storm, Flooding, and LandslidesMajor disasterDR-4672-AK
Aug 26, 2022FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4667-AK
Apr 9, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4533-AK
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3446-AK
Jan 23, 2014Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4162-AK
Jun 25, 2013FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4122-AK
Dec 22, 2011Severe StormSevere Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4050-AK
Jun 10, 2011FloodIce Jam and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1992-AK
Jun 11, 2009FloodFlooding and Ice JamsMajor disasterDR-1843-AK
Oct 27, 2006FireFireMajor disasterDR-1666-AK
Aug 4, 2006FloodSnow Melt and Ice Jam FloodingMajor disasterDR-1657-AK
Dec 9, 2005Severe StormSevere Fall Storm, Tidal Surges, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1618-AK
Nov 15, 2004Severe StormSevere Winter Storm, Tidal Surges and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1571-AK
Jun 26, 2002FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-1423-AK
Feb 17, 2000Severe StormSevere Winter Storms and AvalanchesMajor disasterDR-1316-AK
May 30, 1991SnowstormHeavy Snow, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disasterDR-909-AK
Jun 10, 1989FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-832-AK
May 10, 1989FreezingSevere FreezingMajor disasterDR-826-AK

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.

How this compares

Where Bethel Census Area stands among 30 counties in Alaska and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 195021 / 302,868 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger0——
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19841,918,7653 / 309 / 3,143
Flood insurance claims457 / 301,690 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$306,0007 / 301,969 / 3,143
Disaster declarations201 / 301,524 / 3,143
Flood events since 1996210 / 303,100 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 1996223 / 303,133 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19961317 / 302,759 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$0——
River crests at major flood stage73 / 30687 / 3,143
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 18950——
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years2.922 / 303,109 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 190018316 / 3069 / 3,143
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 197312919 / 30116 / 3,143

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Dillingham Census Area00481,3800
Kenai Peninsula Borough00428,06783
Kusilvak Census Area00577,5530
Lake and Peninsula Borough00207,0810
Matanuska-Susitna Borough0020,88987
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area0027,274,23872

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 USW00026615.
  • 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.
  • 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 November 1, 2026.