Lane County
Population 381,584 (2025) 4,554 sq mi
Large wildfires have burned 533,185 acres of Lane County since 1984, 12th most of 36 counties in Oregon; the largest was the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 19507
- Wildfire burn scars since 198428
- Major flood years since 19782
At a glance
The record for Lane County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes
About one every 11 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
November 24, 1989
F1, 0.3 mile path
40 yards wide.
Most recent
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
EF0, 0.1 mile path
11 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 14, 2015 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 2, 1999 | F0 | 2.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 5, 1996 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 1989 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 1984 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 18, 1975 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 6, 1951 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Lane County: 0.
- 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
533,185 acres burned in 28 large fires since 1984, equal to 18% of the land.
Largest
September 8, 2020
Holiday Farm Fire, 174,243 acres
161,028 acres inside Lane County.
Most recent
September 7, 2024
Linton Creek Fire
1,462 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Linton Creek | 2024 | 1,432 | 1,462 |
| Petes Lake | 2023 | 3,372 | 3,372 |
| Lookout | 2023 | 22,266 | 25,057 |
| Bedrock | 2023 | 31,691 | 31,663 |
| Cedar Creek | 2022 | 129,141 | 136,259 |
| Little Bend Creek | 2021 | 5,831 | 9,297 |
| Chaos | 2021 | 29,700 | 29,675 |
| Kwis | 2021 | 1,576 | 1,574 |
| Gales | 2021 | 31,651 | 31,633 |
| Holiday Farm | 2020 | 161,028 | 174,243 |
| Terwilliger | 2018 | 11,400 | 11,391 |
| Avenue | 2017 | 4,322 | 4,319 |
| Jones | 2017 | 10,260 | 10,251 |
| Milli 0843 Cs | 2017 | 25 | 24,065 |
| Mr 183 Olallie Lookout | 2017 | 1,843 | 1,843 |
| Mr Roney | 2017 | 3,646 | 3,644 |
| Mr Separation | 2017 | 25,137 | 25,120 |
| Rebel | 2017 | 9,047 | 9,035 |
| Deception Creek | 2014 | 6,021 | 6,020 |
| Scott Mountain | 2010 | 1,252 | 3,358 |
| Tumblebug Complex | 2009 | 11,003 | 14,591 |
| Clark | 2003 | 4,904 | 4,900 |
| Austa | 1999 | 1,524 | 1,524 |
| Moolack Complex (Moolack) | 1996 | 1,224 | 1,221 |
| Moolack Complex (Charlton) | 1996 | 9,181 | 10,199 |
| Warner Creek | 1991 | 6,835 | 6,830 |
| 88771081 | 1988 | 5,173 | 5,170 |
| Shady Beach | 1988 | 2,687 | 2,686 |
- 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: 39 days
Heavy smoke on 24 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
21.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
9 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 15 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
454 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $4.2 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1996: 229 claims
$2.4 million paid.
2nd most
2012: 58 claims
$936,000 paid.
3rd most
2019: 19 claims
$254,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 97453 | 129 | $1.4 million |
| 97478 | 81 | $919,000 |
| 97405 | 39 | $153,000 |
| 97424 | 37 | $233,000 |
| 97439 | 37 | $555,000 |
| 97448 | 14 | $76,000 |
| 97426 | 13 | $113,000 |
| 97413 | 12 | $36,000 |
| 97488 | 9 | $29,000 |
| 97412 | 9 | $98,000 |
| 97431 | 8 | $83,000 |
| 97477 | 8 | $26,000 |
| 97404 | 7 | $0 |
| 97402 | 6 | $97,000 |
| 97437 | 5 | $40,000 |
| 97487 | 5 | $26,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood34
- Heavy Rain19
- Flash 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
Most severe crest
February 7, 1996
Siuslaw River near Mapleton, 30.21 ft
12.21 feet above the 18.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
March 17, 2025
Coast Fork Willamette River at Goshen, 15.32 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Coast Fork Willamette River at Goshen | 13.0 | 19.50 ft | 2 |
| McKenzie River near Vida | 11.0 | 17.20 ft | 1 |
| McKenzie River near Walterville | 14.0 | 16.18 ft | 1 |
| Mid Fork Willamette River at Jasper | 10.0 | 16.60 ft | 1 |
| Mohawk River (OR) near Springfield | 15.0 | 24.30 ft | 0 |
| Siuslaw River near Mapleton | 18.0 | 30.21 ft | 5 |
| Willamette River at Eugene | 23.0 | 24.80 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 71 of 1,581 months since 1895 (4%); the longest spell lasted 9 months.
71
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
6
Months in extreme drought
4%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
July 1924
−4.50, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
9 months
January 2026 to September 2026.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.44, 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, tsunamis and landslides
8 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.9 in 2004.
7
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
22
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
8
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
July 12, 2004
Magnitude 4.9
30 km W of Yachats, Oregon; 18.9 miles away, 17.9 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
November 10, 2023
Magnitude 3.1
39 km WNW of Yachats, Oregon; 24.5 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Oct 7, 2022 | 4.4 | 19.3 |
| Jul 4, 2015 | 4.1 | Inside |
| Aug 18, 2004 | 4.7 | 28.3 |
| Jul 12, 2004 | 4.9 | 18.9 |
| Jun 11, 1989 | 4.1 | 41.0 |
| Mar 7, 1963 | 4.6 | 40.7 |
| Aug 18, 1961 | 4.5 | 30.6 |
| Aug 20, 1959 | 4.6 | 46.2 |
- 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).
- 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.
Tsunamis
Highest water recorded
Mar 28, 1964
12.1 ft, Siuslaw River, OR
From Prince William Sound, AK (magnitude 9.2 earthquake).
On record
2 tsunamis
Since 1946.
| Mar 28, 1964 | Prince William Sound, AK, M9.2 | 12.1 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1946 | Unimak Island, AK, M8.6 | 3.3 | 0 |
- Places where NOAA's Global Historical Tsunami Database records a tsunami's water arriving, with the greatest height it reached above sea level at the time. Only tsunamis NOAA rates probable or definite are counted. Heights from eyewitness accounts and tide gauges are mixed, and older events are less completely recorded.
NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Volcanoes within 100 miles
| Three Sisters | 0.9 | Very high |
| Belknap Crater | 2.8 | Low |
| Mount Bachelor | 7.0 | Moderate |
| Davis Lake volcanic field | 7.4 | Very low |
| Blue Lake Crater | 10.6 | Low |
| Sand Mountain volcanic field | 10.6 | Very low |
| Cinnamon Butte | 13.8 | Very low |
| Mount Jefferson | 28.7 | Low |
| Newberry | 34.5 | Very high |
| Crater Lake | 35.3 | Very high |
| Devils Garden lava field | 55.8 | Very low |
| Mount Hood | 77.3 | 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
7,321
Landslides mapped, probable or better
1,973
With a recorded date
4
Source inventories
Mapped by OR DOGAMI (7,209), NASA (101), USGS Seismogenic Mass Movements (6), USGS Conterminous (5).
Deadly landslides
| Dec 18, 2015 | Landslide | 1 |
| Dec 17, 2015 | — | 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
141 events in the National Weather Service record, 129 of them since 1996.
9
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
9
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
12
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
2
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 21, 1990
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 19, 2005
81 mph
More event types since 1996
| High surf and sneaker waves | 1 | 1 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 1 | 0 |
| Debris flows | 4 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Jan 18, 2012Flood$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain caused the Siuslaw River near Mapleton to overflow its banks, causing major flooding to surrounding areas. The Siuslaw River crested at 28.1 feet on January 19th at 3 pm PST, 10.1 feet above flood stage.
- Aug 24, 1996Wildfire$1.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
On August 24th lightning caused a series of forest fires, known as the Moolack Complex, in the Willamette National Forest east of Oakridge. 11,375 acres were burned with 1.7 million dollars in damage to campgrounds and timber interests. The fire smoldered for almost 2 months before it was declared out on October 16.
- Sep 1, 1996Wildfire$1.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Moolack Fire Complex was started by lightning on August 24th and burned throughout the month of September. The fire was declared out on October 16.
- Jan 19, 2012Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain caused the Mohawk River near Springfield to overflow its banks and flood low lying areas. The Mohawk River crested at 17.9 feet on January 19th at 7 pm PST, 2.9 feet above flood stage.
- Dec 17, 2015Flood$499,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Siuslaw River flooded near Mapleton and the Mohawk River flooded near Springfield. Minor flooding of a pastureland was reported in Swisshome due to flooding of Mann Creek. A new daily rainfall record of 1.65 inches in Eugene broke the previous record of 1.35 inches last set in 1957.
- Dec 7, 2015Flood$395,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain resulted in the Siuslaw River to exceed flood stage at Mapleton. Several small streams also flooded in the area.
- Dec 10, 2015Thunderstorm Wind$260,000
National Weather Service narrative
Wind damage from thunderstorm winds were reported in Eugene and Creswell. Numerous trees were downed on vehicles and buildings, and downed power lines resulted in widespread electricity outages.
- Apr 7, 2019Debris Flow$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Oregon Department of Transportation had to close highway 58 due to at least 3 landslides between Lowell and Oakridge. There were other landslides reported around the area as well, along LaDuke Road, Big Fall Creek Road, Winberry Road, and Sweet Creek Road.
- Dec 5, 1996Tornado$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
A cool unstable airmass produced thunderstorms over Westrern Oregon. A small tornado touched down in North Eugene inflicting an estimated 50,000 dollars in damage to a residential neighborhood, mostly from downed trees falling on houses.
- Nov 22, 2014Thunderstorm Wind$45,000
National Weather Service narrative
Thunderstorms produced a downburst of wind that downed around 50 Douglas Fir trees with trunk diameters between 10 and 14 inches.
- 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 Eugene-mahlon Sweet Field, 8 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1938.
- All-time high
- 111°FJun 27, 2021
- All-time low
- −12°FDec 8, 1972
- Warmest night
- 71°FJul 22, 2006
- Coldest day
- 13°FDec 8, 1972
- Wettest day
- 4.89 inDec 5, 1981
- Snowiest day
- 14.0 inJan 25, 1969
- Hottest year
- 2015mean 55.6°F
- Coldest year
- 1955mean 50.1°F
- Wettest year
- 199676.51 in
- Driest year
- 201321.19 in
- Snowiest season
- 49.4 in1968-69
Median first snow
December 29
Earliest: November 5, 1973
Median last snow
February 13
Latest: March 25, 1972
17 of 66 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Eugene-mahlon Sweet Field (USW00024221), 358 ft elevation, 8.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1938 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% 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
24 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, April 7, 2026.
| Apr 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907-OR |
| Apr 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768-OR |
| Jan 27, 2023 | Fire | FM-5457-OR |
| Sep 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562-OR |
| Sep 10, 2020 | Fire | EM-3542-OR |
| Sep 8, 2020 | Fire | FM-5357-OR |
| Mar 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499-OR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429-OR |
| May 2, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4432-OR |
| Jan 25, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4296-OR |
| Feb 17, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4258-OR |
| Apr 4, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4169-OR |
| Mar 2, 2012 | Flood | DR-4055-OR |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3228-OR |
| Feb 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1510-OR |
| Mar 12, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1405-OR |
| Jan 23, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1160-OR |
| Dec 23, 1996 | Flood | DR-1149-OR |
| Mar 19, 1996 | Severe Storm | DR-1107-OR |
| Feb 9, 1996 | Flood | DR-1099-OR |
| Aug 2, 1994 | Fishing Losses | DR-1036-OR |
| Jan 25, 1974 | Flood | DR-413-OR |
| Jan 21, 1972 | Flood | DR-319-OR |
| Dec 24, 1964 | Flood | DR-184-OR |
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 Lane County stands among 36 counties in Oregon and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 7 | 4 / 36 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 533,185 | 12 / 36 |
| Flood insurance claims | 454 | 4 / 36 |
| Flood insurance paid | $4.2 million | 8 / 36 |
| Disaster declarations | 24 | 5 / 36 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 54 | 6 / 36 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 40 | 23 / 36 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 12 | 28 / 36 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $7.9 million | 17 / 36 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 10 | 9 / 36 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 71 | 35 / 36 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 21.9 | 21 / 36 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 8 | 22 / 36 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 7 | 18 / 36 |
Neighbouring counties
| Benton County | 2 | 0 |
| Deschutes County | 6 | 0 |
| Douglas County | 1 | 0 |
| Klamath County | 5 | 0 |
| Lincoln County | 4 | 0 |
| Linn County | 5 | 0 |
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 USW00024221.
- 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.
- Tsunamis NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database.
- 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.