Jerome County

Population 26,362 (2025) 598 sq mi

Large wildfires have burned 131,971 acres of Jerome County since 1984, 26th most of 44 counties in Idaho; the largest was the Red Bridge Fire in 2007.

Hazard fingerprint for Jerome County Tornado: 17th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 94th percentile. Flood: 5th percentile. Hail & wind: 12th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 3th percentile. Winter: 26th 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 19506
  • Wildfire burn scars since 198434

At a glance

The record for Jerome County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Acres burned since 1984

131,971

26th of 44 in Idaho

34 large fires; the largest was Red Bridge, 2007

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

6

11th of 44 in Idaho

50% more than the typical Idaho county

Details

Flood insurance claims

1

31st of 44 in Idaho

$0 paid since 1980

Details

Strongest tornado

F2

June 9, 1990, 0.2 mile path

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

5.5magnitude

November 11, 1905, 6.8 miles away

Details

Federal disaster declarations

6

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

110°F

Reached 2 times, most recently July 24, 2003

Details

Record low

−25°F

January 21, 1937

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 13 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

June 9, 1990

F2, 0.2 mile path

10 yards wide.

Most recent

Thursday, June 30, 2016

EF0, 1.5 mile path

10 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 2 2 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 1 A: 1 M: 2 2 J: 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 Jerome County since 1950
Jun 30, 2016EF01.55000
May 8, 2013EF01.02000
May 3, 1993F00.11000
Jun 9, 1990F20.21000
Apr 20, 1988F11.05000
Mar 30, 1988F00.25000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Jerome County: 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

131,971 acres burned in 34 large fires since 1984, equal to 35% of the land.

Largest

July 6, 2007

Red Bridge Fire, 44,102 acres

17,512 acres inside Jerome County.

Most recent

September 8, 2022

Sheep Fire

5,760 acres in total.

Acres burned since 1984, cumulative 1984: 1,6901985: 1,5101995: 9431998: 1,0971999: 1,4832000: 13,0722001: 13,0412005: 14,1452006: 5,9292007: 17,5342009: 2,0842011: 2,6462012: 16,0732013: 13,1192017: 7,0142018: 2822020: 8332022: 19,475 131,971 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned inside the county (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Sheep20221,9275,760
Eden 2202213,24513,640
Powerline20221,0991,100
Sugar Loaf20223,2023,200
County Line20208331,638
North Wendell20182822,279
Shoestring20175,21435,544
Antelope20171,01429,651
Crestview20177851,750
Southeast Red Bridge20138,6408,642
Cinder Road20134,4784,482
Interstate 84 Mm17720121,8241,824
Owinza201214,24832,884
Hwy 46 Mm 10320112,6345,110
Double A20111113,159
West End20091,5861,665
Power Station20094973,201
Shoestring2007213,980
Red Bridge200717,51244,102
Cinder2006391,707
4Wd20061,1605,199
Hwy 46 Mm 720064,72911,611
Homestead20056031,462
Wilson20055,2585,265
East Star Lake20058,2828,376
Bacon Pond200111,29511,297
Schodde 120011,7452,197
High Point200013,07220,409
Eldon Lake19991,4821,548
High Point 219981,0971,099
Kimama 219959181,157
Camp One1995241,405
H 25 M 16 3 E 219851,5101,511
I 84 Mp 178 N19841,6901,690
  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

2021: 69 days

Heavy smoke on 35 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

23.8 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

9 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 20 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 6 2012: 19 2013: 13 2014: 12 2015: 12 2016: 4 2017: 19 2018: 38 2019: 4 2020: 39 2021: 69 69 2022: 18 2023: 6 2024: 32 2025: 9 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

1 federal flood insurance claims since 1980, with $0 paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year
Claims per year since 1980. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood5

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 262 of 1,581 months since 1895 (17%); the longest spell lasted 32 months.

262

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

121

Months in extreme drought

17%

Share of all months, severe or worse

Lowest reading

July 1992

−8.04, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

32 months

July 2020 to February 2023.

Latest month

September 2026

−6.91, extreme drought

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 3 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 3 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 5 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 2 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 4 1925: 0 1926: 6 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 0 1931: 5 1932: 0 1933: 4 1934: 12 12 1935: 4 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 7 1940: 3 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: 9 1955: 4 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 3 1961: 4 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 8 1967: 5 1968: 3 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 9 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 7 1988: 10 1989: 0 1990: 4 1991: 12 1992: 10 1993: 0 1994: 4 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 4 2001: 12 2002: 9 2003: 9 2004: 1 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 4 2008: 2 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 8 2014: 9 2015: 5 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 2 2019: 0 2020: 6 2021: 12 2022: 12 2023: 2 2024: 0 2025: 6 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, volcanoes and landslides

3 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.5 in 1905.

0

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

0

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

3

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

3

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

November 11, 1905

Magnitude 5.5

Near Shoshone, Idaho; 6.8 miles away.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

November 18, 1937

Magnitude 5.4

15 km S of Oakley, Idaho; 30.1 miles away.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Nov 18, 19375.430.1—15 km S of Oakley, Idaho
Sep 4, 19285.248.2—45 km WNW of Jackpot, Nevada
Nov 11, 19055.56.8—Near Shoshone, Idaho
  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
Black Butte Crater lava field22.8Low4,849
Wapi Lava Field36.9Low5,262
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field50.2Low6,578
Hells Half Acre lava field90.3Low5,351
  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.

Mapped landslides

1

Landslides mapped, probable or better

1

With a recorded date

1

Source inventory

Mapped by NASA (1).

  1. 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

134 events in the National Weather Service record, 121 of them since 1996.

9

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

0

Hail, 2 inches or larger

23

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

38

Winter weather events since 1996

0

Heat events since 1996

1

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

August 14, 1979

1.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

May 11, 2025

79 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning100Jun 7, 1996
Dust storms and dust devils110Jun 6, 2016
Dense fog and smoke200Dec 27, 2012

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Jun 1, 1997Flood, Western Magic Valley$50.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    During the month of June the spring melt of near record snowpack in Idaho's mountains caused extensive flooding along the Snake River and many of it's tributaries. The highest river flows in nearly 70 years were noted along the Middle Snake River, with numerous gages setting new record stages. The flood inundated lowlands along a 225 mile stretch of the river. Damage was extensive to irrigation canals, roads including interstate 15, levees, farmland and homes.Ten counties were declared local disaster areas. Estimates indicate that over 1,000 people were evacuated, and 250 to 300 homes were flooded. Over 50,000 acres were inundated and 26 irrigation canals were severely damaged. A…

  2. Feb 8, 2017Flood$2.8 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Rainfall and rapid melting of low elevation snowpack on top of frozen and saturated soil led to widespread flooding. Many roads around Jerome were damaged and closed due to flood waters. Widespread flooding of agricultural lands occurred.

  3. Mar 29, 2009High Wind, Western Magic Valley$100,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The ITD site at Hansen Bridge in Twin Falls reported a peak gust of 64 MPH and winds over 50 MPH were reported around the area throughout the day.

  4. Feb 17, 1999High Wind, Western Magic Valley$50,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A strong cold front swept through the Western Magic Valley with winds clocked to 62 mph at the Twin Falls Airport. The strong winds toppled two sixty foot tall pine trees and destroyed the roof of a barn near Buhl. In Twin Falls the roof of a school was damaged and a manufactured home was blown over.

  5. Apr 9, 1999High Wind, Western Magic Valley$15,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    High winds blew across the Western Magic Valley. At Twin Falls a peak gust of 52 mph was measured and at Jerome sustained winds of 49 mph with a gust to 59 mph were observed. The winds overturned a truck near Twin Falls, caused power outages and damaged a warehouse roof.

  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 Jerome, 3.6 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1915.

All-time high
110°F2 times, most recently Jul 24, 2003
All-time low
−25°FJan 21, 1937
Warmest night
77°FJun 14, 2021
Coldest day
−3°FDec 22, 1990
Wettest day
2.00 inJan 4, 2022
Snowiest day
8.0 inFeb 2, 1916
Hottest year
1934mean 55.1°F
Coldest year
1985mean 44.9°F
Wettest year
199517.98 in
Driest year
20223.91 in
Snowiest season
53.1 in1948-49
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Jerome 32°F 37° 21° 1.3 Jan 42° 24° 0.7 Feb 53° 30° 0.9 Mar 61° 35° 0.9 Apr 71° 43° 1.0 May 81° 51° 0.5 Jun 93° 60° 0.1 Jul 90° 57° 0.3 Aug 80° 48° 0.4 Sep 65° 37° 0.9 Oct 50° 28° 0.8 Nov 38° 22° 1.4 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: 12 1977: 28 1978: 21 1979: 27 1980: 11 1981: 28 1982: 12 1983: 18 1984: 14 1985: 27 1986: 26 1987: 19 1988: 32 1989: 20 1990: 35 1991: 24 1992: 22 1993: 4 1994: 33 1995: 21 1996: 34 1997: 15 1998: 34 1999: 20 2004: 25 2005: 31 2006: 45 2007: 54 54 2008: 34 2009: 30 2010: 14 2011: 11 2012: 31 2013: 33 2014: 17 2015: 17 2016: 18 2023: 10 2025: 6 1976198619962010
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 25.2.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 0.0 in 1979: 16.5 in 16.5 1987: 0.0 in 1995: 0.0 in 1996: 0.0 in 1997: 0.0 in 1998: 0.0 in 1999: 0.0 in 2000: 0.0 in 2001: 0.0 in 2002: 0.0 in 2003: 0.0 in 2004: 0.0 in 2006: 0.0 in 2007: 0.0 in 2008: 0.0 in 2009: 0.0 in 2010: 3.0 in 2011: 0.0 in 2012: 0.0 in 2013: 1.0 in 2014: 0.0 in 2015: 0.0 in 2025: 0.0 in 197620022013
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 18

Earliest: October 20, 1949

Median last snow

March 25

Latest: May 21, 1960

21 of 53 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Jerome (USC00104670), 3,740 ft elevation, 3.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1915 to October 26, 2026; 87.2% 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

6 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 9, 2020.

Federal disaster declarations
Apr 9, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4534-ID
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3467-ID
Apr 21, 2017FloodSevere Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4310-ID
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane KatrinaEmergencyEM-3244-ID
Sep 1, 2000FireWildfiresMajor disasterDR-1341-ID
Dec 31, 1964FloodHeavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-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.

How this compares

Where Jerome County stands among 44 counties in Idaho and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 1950611 / 442,542 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger0——
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 1984131,97126 / 44276 / 3,143
Flood insurance claims131 / 442,799 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$0——
Disaster declarations624 / 443,045 / 3,143
Flood events since 1996544 / 443,040 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 19967131 / 442,921 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19963842 / 442,244 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$52.9 million13 / 44804 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189526210 / 4470 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years23.826 / 44741 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900332 / 44949 / 3,143
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Cassia County100439,0312
Gooding County60167,2286
Lincoln County40613,7465
Minidoka County60268,1555
Twin Falls County120373,60916

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 USC00104670.
  • 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.